Jakes Gerwel Fellowship

Early-career teaching often looks very different from what is expected, with complex classrooms and immediate demands shaping the experience from day one.

With structured mentorship and support, teachers are better equipped to adapt, grow, and remain in the profession.

Supporting teachers is fundamental to strengthening education outcomes. > https://www.jgfellowship.org

Teaching is more than teaching.

In many classrooms, teachers also:

• support emotional wellbeing
• manage conflict
• build confidence in learners
• create safe spaces for growth

Teaching is academic.
But it is also deeply human.

Supporting teachers means supporting everything they carry.

The first three years of teaching shape everything.

Without support, many teachers feel:

• overwhelmed
• underprepared
• isolated

With the right support, they become:

• confident
• reflective
• resilient

Teacher development starts early.
And support makes the difference.

Teachers don’t stay because it’s easy.

They stay because they are supported.

Support helps teachers:

• manage classroom realities
• build confidence over time
• stay committed to their learners
• grow into leaders in education

When teachers are supported, they stay.
And when they stay, education improves.

Teaching in challenging environments requires resilience and support.

Through structured coaching, mentorship and professional development, JGF supports teachers to navigate complex classroom realities.

Supporting teachers means strengthening education.

Stronger education systems contribute to more resilient communities, inclusive economies, and long-term social stability.

In complex classrooms, support matters.

Structured support helps teachers:

• reflect on their practice
• respond to learner needs
• adapt their teaching
• build confidence over time

Support strengthens both teachers and classrooms.

Teaching in high-pressure environments requires more than training.

Teachers also require:

• coaching
• mentorship
• professional community
• ongoing support

To help teachers adapt, respond and continue showing up, these support structures are integral.

Did you know?

Over 32,000 teachers have left the public school system in the past five years.

Retention is not just a workforce issue, it’s an education system issue.

When teachers leave:

• classroom stability is disrupted
• learning continuity is affected
• pressure on remaining teachers increases

Supporting teachers is essential to strengthening the system.

No two classrooms are the same!

Teachers must learn to:

• understand their learners’ needs
• identify learning gaps
• respond to different contexts

This requires reflection, adaptation and experience.

Structured support helps teachers develop these capabilities over time.

Teacher training provides the foundation.

However, classrooms are dynamic.

Teachers are challenged with:

• interpreting what is happening in their classroom
• responding to learner needs
• adapting their approach over time

Ongoing support helps translate training into effective practice.

The early years of teaching are a critical transition from initial training to working in the classroom.

New teachers are navigating classroom management, understanding diverse learners, and refining their practice, all in real time.

It’s a demanding phase that shapes both confidence and long-term commitment to the profession.

With the right support, the challenges of this period become building blocks of a firm foundation.

When teachers are supported, they are more likely to grow, stay, and succeed, thus strengthening the system for everyone.