I'd be interested to learn if peer mentoring would be a benefit to our students. Because our students enter programs at different times, some may feel "behind" & never feel like they can catch up. For instance, it is possible in a medical office specialist program that the medical terminology course may fall toward the end of the program. The sense of not learning a "foreign language" may over power a student - but, if they have a peer mentor who has completed that course, they may receive the guidance that they need to get thru the program.
It's an enormous responsibility, Richard, but closely monitoring behavioral changes in students can yield great results.
Every minute of every class is a form of mentoring students.Every yawn or classroom movement should be monitored to determine student interest and learning. Deviations from normal patterns should be investigated with the students and adjustments made where necessary. The bottom line is to get to know your students!
It's a very hard job, Katy. While it's a joy to work with good students, for me the greatest personal reward came from seeing people of modest ability master the skills they needed to start a career. Often they are also the school's greatest promoters.
Absolutely, it's the trouble student that we must aim to help. The rest of the students just need tools and doors to open up for them and they'll do the walking on their own. Why should we take credit for their own achievements? It's the trouble student the needs someone to truely care enough to help them succeed. Troubled students are "troubled" not because they chose to be, but because of their backgrounds and their self esteem/self confidence.
It is not a big deal to guide and teach a student who is already doing good and is achieving on their own? We tend to award ourselves and take the credit for those students who are already doing well. I think we as instructors we are only sucessful at our jobs if we can help the ones who truely need our help and are not doing well, which is a very hard task don't you think?
Miriam, in my experience “trouble†students are frequently ones who have not been successful in a classroom setting before and who don't have good role models to help them understand what it takes to be successful. Arguably, these circumstances make them prime candidates for effective mentoring. They also tend to resist these efforts because they are suspicious of the mentors motives.
I agree. Mentoring can be very effective in students that are goal oriented and want a change in their lives.
Do you think it would be helpful with "trouble" students?
Again, nicely said Katayoun. It's an incredibly difficult job, but certainly can be one of the most rewarding jobs a person could have.
I think so. Mentoring students and being supportive is a very important role. As instructors we not only teach the lesson plan, but we are also looked up to with respect. Students listen to us if we show them we truely care. Mentoring, teaching, supporting, caring, inspiring, motivating, empowering, and molding are all a part of our jobs as instructors.
Great question!?!
Maybe I'm wrong but, I think that depending upon the students urgency to complete their education and become successful is part of the mentoring process.
What do you think?
