Teacher mentoring in Poland is understood as both a formal and informal process of transmission of knowledge, social capital and psychosocial support from a person who has this potential - to teachers who are in need for this support. On everyday basis the more experienced teachers or counselors are those who share their knowledge and skills, both on individual and group basis. In Poland you formally become a teacher after signing the firs job contract – any earlier experience is a student internship. Becoming a teacher means being a member of the school unique ecological niche (Heikkinen 2020), which is a three-subject entity consisting of students, teachers and parents operating in a given environment. Mentoring takes usually a form of community mentoring (e.g. Świdrak, Badora 2021) – where all three subjects cooperate and share experiences. In Polish schools parents role as significant others is widely recognised (e.g. Domagała-Zyśk 2006) and not only other teachers – but they may possess the virtues expected from a true mentor (cf. Pennanen et.al. 2017). Community mentoring and paents' role in education seems especially important when we take into account the reality of inclusive education and student diversity (Booth, Ainscow 2002, Domagała-Zyśk 2018). Parents of students with special educational needs seem to be able to play more and more important role of mentors of newly qualified teachers. In a pilot study of 52 novice teachers (2021) majority of them admitted they learn a lot from observing the parents and discussing with them the needs and strengths of their children. The presentation will be based on an empirical study of newly qualified teachers who reflect the role of parents of students with special educational needs as mentors in their professional development. The results will be analyzed against the traditional role of parents in Poland as major agents who co-create the educational experience of their children.

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