Mentors serve as a thought partner for students on their academic journey and help empower students to become autonomous learners and agents of their own change. They express understanding of students’ aspirations and fears, and support their success by acting as an advocate for students’ best interests.

Doing Your Part as a Mentor Help them develop strong communication skills so they can handle any situation. Provide career exploration: Many mentors act as career counselors, helping students to brainstorm career possibilities, define career goals and establish action plans to reach professional goals.

Mentor teachers have become key players in launching student teachers into the teaching profession. Mentor teachers are recognized for their practical knowledge of the teaching profession, which complements the theoretical knowledge that the student teacher has acquired from the university.

A mentor may share with a mentee (or protege) information about his or her own career path, as well as provide guidance, motivation, emotional support, and role modeling. A mentor may help with exploring careers, setting goals, developing contacts, and identifying resources.

Successful mentoring relationships go through four phases: preparation, negotiating, enabling growth, and closure.

Mentors have two roles — one as experts and the other as role model. Mentors help mentee learn new skills and knowledge….The mentoring process has three simple steps.

• Step 1: – Investigate.
• Step 2: – Identify.
• Step 3: – Plan.

Characteristics of Excellent Mentors

• Good listener/sounding board.
• Flexible.
• Value diversity of perspectives.
• Knowledgeable.
• Nonjudgmental.
• Able to give constructive feedback.
• Honest and candid.
• Able to network and find resources.

A successful mentor should have good communication skills. Mentees must be willing to hear both the “good” and the “bad” from a mentor. A mentor who is unwilling to provide honest feedback to a mentee is probably best avoided. However, mentees cannot be defensive when receiving feedback from a mentor.

DEVELOPMENTAL AREA: Learning is based on positive basic and applied academic attitudes, skills, and behaviors. * Learning how to use their individual transition plans to drive their personal instruction, including obtaining extra supports such as tutoring, as necessary.

What is Mentoring? Mentoring is essentially about helping people to develop more effectively. It is a relationship designed to build confidence and support the mentee so they are able to take control of their own development and work. Off-line means an individual who is not the mentee’s direct line manager.

Mentoring is a learning relationship, generally focused on long term career development. The primary purpose is to drive personal growth; building skills, knowledge and understanding.

‘Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be. ‘

A mentor is someone with which you can develop a long-term relationship that is centered around building the mentee’s growth and development. A mentor does not work on a day-to-day basis to help a mentee make decisions, but they are there to serve as someone who can offer support, wisdom, and teaching over time.

Respect your mentee’s time as much as your own. Be explicit about the ‘norms’ for your meetings and your own needs and limits (e.g., time, style of interfacing, etc.). Always ask if you can make a suggestion or offer feedback. Tell your mentee that you don’t expect them to follow all of your suggestions.

The goal of the mentoring program is to establish a trusting relationship with accountability and responsibility from the mentor and mentee.

Successful mentorship programs balance the dueling needs of structure and flexibility. A level of formality is needed within the mentoring process, participant training, progress tracking, and communication to help the program run smoothly.

Successful Goal Setting: A 6-Step Guide for Mentors

1. Help your mentee clarify what they want to accomplish.
2. Determine the feasibility of your mentee’s goal.
3. Establish benchmarks for success.
4. Set a realistic timeline.
5. Define strategies and map out the path to success.

5 steps to setting mentee goals.

1. Consider both short- and long-term goals. What is your mentee hoping to gain?
2. Be realistic. Don’t hold back.
3. Work together.
4. Use the SMART method.
5. Measure progress.

How to create a SMART goal:

1. Ask questions to really understand your mentee’s desired outcome. The best way to create SMART mentoring goals is through conversation.
2. Encourage action rather than contemplation.
3. Provide a reality check.
4. Set a deadline.

By making sure the goals you set are aligned with the five SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound), you have an anchor on which to base all of your focus and decision-making.

If you’re starting a mentoring program at your company, consider some of these ideas for getting the mentor and mentee together and connecting.

• Create a Mentoring Plan.
• Job Shadowing.
• Attend a Conference Together.
• Practice a Presentation.
• Reverse Mentoring Meeting.
• Reading and Discussion.
• Update Resumes.
• Volunteering Together.

DON’T:

• Ask for advice on everything.
• Ask you mentor to act in your place or tell you precisely what to do.
• Rely on your mentor to give or seek answers to all of your questions/requests.
• Complain about other people or missed opportunities in an unprofessional manner.
• Commit yourself to obligations you cannot keep.

Thank you so much for all that you’ve done — I only hope I can return the favor sometime in the future. Thanks for being a good mentor and for guiding me on the right path. I will always be thankful to you. Not only have you been a fantastic mentor to me, but you have taught me how to mentor other people.

If you’re just beginning a mentoring relationship, use these tactics to start smart.

1. Get down to business.
2. Ask about their preferred input style.
3. Set goals for the relationship.
4. Bring up your mentee’s recent wins.
5. Share a personal story.
6. Provide reassurance.

about two hours

A: You should schedule and keep at least one meeting with your mentee each month for the first six months. Plan each meeting for a minimum of one hour. After six months meetings should become less regimented and should occur as needed.

A good mentor possesses the following qualities:

• Willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise.
• Demonstrates a positive attitude and acts as a positive role model.
• Takes a personal interest in the mentoring relationship.
• Exhibits enthusiasm in the field.
• Values ongoing learning and growth in the field.

Questions to Ask a Mentor

• What’s the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?
• How do you encourage innovative ideas?
• How would you describe your personal style?
• Do you have a mentor?
• What do you do to constantly challenge your underlying beliefs and assumptions?