GYO Collaboratory

Building Mentor Capacity. Strengthening Tennessee’s Educator Pipeline.

The GYO Collaboratory is a statewide initiative led by the University of Tennessee System Grow Your Own Center to strengthen Tennessee’s educator pipeline by investing in mentor teachers and GYO program leaders.

Group of people sitting at tables in a conference room space.

What is the GYO Collaboratory?

The Grow Your Own (GYO) Collaboratory is a statewide professional learning network advancing Tennessee’s educator workforce through mentorship, collaboration and leadership development. This sustainable, scalable model for educator development engages in on going learning, collaboration and co-design to improve outcomes for aspiring educators across Tennessee.

Tennessee’s educator workforce faces ongoing challenges in recruitment, preparation and retention.

The GYO Collaboratory addresses these challenges by:

  • Strengthening mentorship across the state
  • Improving apprentice experiences and outcomes
  • Building leadership pathways for educators
  • Supporting long-term educator retention

This work ensures that every aspiring educator is supported—and every student benefits.

UT Collaboratory Mentor Teacher Network

At the core of this work, the UT Collaboratory Mentor Teacher Network connects educators across districts, EPPs and communities—strengthening consistency, building confidence and driving collective impact.

What this network provides:

  • Peer-to-peer learning and collaboration
  • Shared tools and aligned practices
  • Leadership development for mentors and program leaders
  • Opportunities to co-create statewide solutions

A Statewide Movement

The GYO Collaboratory is more than a program—it is a statewide movement to reimagine how educators are prepared, supported and retained.

By investing in mentors and leaders today, Tennessee is building a stronger educator workforce for tomorrow.

Highlight reel showing clips of the June 2025 GYO Collaboratory event.

UT Collaboratory Mentor Toolkit

The UT Collaboratory Mentor Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to support mentor teachers and program leaders in their daily work. This toolkit serves as both a training resource and a professional learning guide, supporting continuous growth and program quality.

 What’s included:

  • Foundations of Mentorship: Shared vision, roles, and expectations
  • On-the-Job Learning Design: Aligning clinical practice with coursework
  • Tools & Resources: Pacing guides, rubrics and ready-to-use materials
  • Coaching Strategies: Feedback, goal-setting and reflective practice tools

Access the Mentor Toolkit

Explore the Collaboratory Mentor Toolkit and start strengthening your mentorship practice today.

How Participants Engage

The GYO Collaboratory provides ongoing engagement opportunities to ensure mentors and program leaders are continuously supported.

  • Monthly Networking Meetings: Virtual Learning sessions focused on key mentoring topics
  • Regional Convenings: In-person working sessions for collaboration and application
  • Learning Labs: Opportunities to observe mentoring in action
  • Summer Institute: Immersive, in-person retreats for deep learning and co-creation

These experiences create a connected, statewide learning community.

Outcomes of the Collaboratory

The GYO Collaboratory is designed to deliver meaningful, measurable impact:

  • Build a scalable and sustainable professional development program
  • Connect mentors to learn from and with one another
  • Create consistency in mentoring practices statewide
  • Implement clear, aligned evaluation tools for apprentices
  • Provide mentors with career-advancing skills toward leadership roles

A Collaborative Response to Tennessee’s Teacher Workforce Needs

The Grow Your Own (GYO) Collaboratory is part of the University of Tennessee System Grand Challenges initiative—an effort to address Tennessee’s most pressing issues through innovation and partnership. As a Grand Challenges project, the Collaboratory advances educator workforce development by strengthening mentor support systems and expanding access to high-quality teacher preparation across the state.