#1126: Cross-disciplinary mentorship: A First Step Toward Innovative Action Research

This qualitative study employs an autoethnographic approach to examine the years-long process of transforming a mentor–mentee relationship into a collaborative partnership centered on shared goals for students within a school community. The reflection draws on the first author’s enduring professional friendship with a current high school principal, who originally served as her mentor assigned by a school district. The study highlights how teachers can cultivate a supportive professional community, encourage one another in pursuing personal and professional goals, and leverage their collective knowledge and experience to support the youth within their school community better. This study focuses on the author’s reflective dialogue drawn from several years of conversations with a colleague and friend, exploring how their shared vision led to an action research project aimed at improving students’ math learning experience in a school characterized by low socioeconomic status.