Chapter 15: The Kith and Kin of Professional Networks in International Schools: Prioritizing Wellbeing in Mentoring Practices

International schools comprise a rapidly expanding education sector, yet each international school offers unique opportunities and challenges for its educators. The diversity of school contexts creates interesting leadership challenges when it comes to optimizing professional networks and engaging in mentoring practices. We adopt a definition of mentoring from Carraher and colleagues (2008) as “a one-on-one, hierarchical relationship between a more experienced organizational member (who attempts to meet the vocational and psychosocial needs) and a less experienced employee” (p. 1312) adding that informal mentoring is also an invaluable component of the mentoring process. Pollock (1995) distinguished informal mentors as “distinct from formal mentors in that the duties and personnel are not assigned by the organization” (p. 144). Mentoring occurs in many contexts across stakeholder groups inside a school. It plays a crucial role in shaping both the educational experiences and overall development of students and teachers alike. Mentoring in schools encompasses the guidance, support and encouragement provided to the mentees by experienced educators enabling the mentees to maneuver through various challenges including both academic and social, to develop crucial skills, and to discover one’s potential. Because mentoring plays a pivotal role in the holistic development of the mentee, approaches to mentoring often include unique responsiveness to perceived areas of growth. When feeling valued and supported, mentees are more likely to be active participants in their growth, to collaborate, and to take risks. A sense of community grows in a school through mentoring, allowing mentees to safely express their thoughts and to celebrate their achievements. Kochan (2013) called for scholarship on mentorship that addresses global contexts. This chapter aims to open a conversation on mentorship in the transnational contexts of international schools overseas.