I still mention my mentors everytime I get the opportunity to talk about them, sometimes I imagine how any of my students could do the same with me in their future. For me a mentor is a little more important than an instructor or a teacher, mentors always leave a true mark on your career.
I have many years of experience in the large hotels. Expect the unexpected. I share my experiences with my students, both good & bad, that decisions that were made & their effect. I tell my students that one day if they are in a similar situation, they will hear my voice & remember my story & make the correct choice. They will be my legacy.
Diana,
What makes someone an excellent mentor?
Jeffrey Schillinger
My chef instructors at culinary school are why I became an instructor. They were excellent mentors and helped me out professionally and personally.
Marilyn ,
What are some specific things you do to position yourself as a mentor for your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
The person that hired me has been a great mentor and continues to be. He is always available to answer questions and continue to help me stay focus on the students when everything else is going wrong.
Rassiel,
What are some of the things you do to position yourself as a mentor for your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
As a young college graduate, my mentor taught me lessons that have exceeded the usual job description and crossed over into real life lessons. as a rookie to my career, he pushed me to improve my skills further than I thought that I was capable of. His critiques may have seem harsh at the times but they were factual which motivated me to strive toward perfection. His teachings focused on keeping me grounded but never to the point of limiting my creative abilities. Sometimes, I felt like he was reliving his own personal and career life experiences through me.
As different situations arise in today's classroom, I am often reminded of how this man would have handle this situation and I base my next step or reaction using a proven method or advice that has worked in the past with me. In many ways, I owe him for whatever success that I have achieved in my career up to this date. Hopefully, he is proud of any success that I have achieved as well as approve of the way that I directed my career.
I have several mentor in my life thas give me direction and help me going foward specialy older chefs.
Mary,
Thanks for sharing this post. What are some of the things you do to position yourself as a mentor for your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I had a few mentors in my life. most of them helped me to shape my career... some gave me some advices that helped me to make the right decision.
Mostly they kept me on track of developing my skills. They were here to listen in case I was struggling and always found the good word that kept me going.
I have been lucky to have several mentors in my life. The most important one was a person who taught me how to become a teacher, by example. Another mentor took me under his wing when I was fresh out of culinary school and had very little confidence in my abilities, and with praise and encouragement taught me to believe in myself.
Steven,
What was one specific thing one of your mentor's did that you now try to do for your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Those I consider mentors had significant influence in my decisions especially my career. If they had not suggested outside activities from school I would have declined. They believed in me, which made me believe in myself and my skills. My current career would not be as profundly satisfying without my mentor.So far so good
Robert,
Interesting choices. Thanks for sharing this post.
Jeffrey Schillinger
In my specific case, I would use two examples:
1. my parents, who were immigrants, let their coutry and their families to have a better life. They taught me the importance of hard work, respect, consideration of others and the sense of community. Those elements have taught me that, in life, you will always face challenges but many of them can be overcome if you want them to. I try to apply this same approach with students who sometimes panic when facing an issue because they do not know how to tackle the problem.
2. the second mentor or example I would like to use is Nelson Mandela, fomer President of South Africa and leader in the fight against the apartheid. After spending 30 years in jail, he had some much energy and ideas on what South Africa should become, that he had the whole population behind him and the support of teh international world. In other words, even during his detention, he was able to communicate with the external world and show his strength.
Herman,
It is interesting how often people who take this course list a parent as a mentor. (I named my dad when I took the course several years ago.) What are some specific things you do, based on what you learned from your father, to position yourself to be a mentor for your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
My Father is my greatest mentor. He always does the right thing. He listens to peoples problems and give expert advice. It makes sense as he's a phyciatrist.
Barbara,
What is one specific thing you do intentionally to position yourseld to be a mentor to your faculty members?
Jeffrey Schillinger
While I have had several people in my life that I consider mentors, the one that stands out by far was the Instructor/Program Director who helped me to begin my career many years ago. I consider her my greatest mentor because she took the time to not only teach me the coursework but took an interest in me as an individual. She saw potential in me that I did not see in myself. School was not easy and I faced many obstacles that could very easily have derailed me. But she kept me focused on what was important to me and what I could accomplish. She believed in me and encouraged me to persevere.
She was a role-model, a mentor, and she developed in me a sense of pride and professionalism. It was because of her that I became an educator. She had kept in touch with me and encouraged me to become a teacher. Again, she expressed a confidence in my ability to share with others what I had learned in my profession. Just knowing that she thought I could do it gave me the courage to pursue a career teaching what I had gone to school for. If it was not for her belief in me, I would not have developed from a Medical Assistant, to an Office Manager, to a Medical Assistant Instructor, to the Program Director when she retired, to an Assistant Academic Dean, and to my present position for the past fourteen years as Academic Dean.
I would not be who I am or where I am today without her influence. Having been in education now for twenty-nine years, I have seen the positive impact we have on our students. We change not only their lives, but that of their families and friends. Student success has a ripple effect that I have been privileged to be a part of. I have seen the children of students I taught many years ago, come to my school for training for a career of their own. Former students have come back to teach here. Graduates are instrumental in having present students come to their offices for externships and employment.
My mentor passed away this year. I know she was proud of me. I am proud of my students and graduates, my faculty and my school.
