With this question at hand, loking back on HABEs it was the Habes of my mentors that I feel set my outlook on my career. My mentors that I worked with over the years had really worked with me and their professionalism and work ethics. I tell my students all the time how blessed I have been to have worked with such good mentors.
Thanks, John. You are lucky to have had three good mentors. What are some specific things you do to ensure your students see you as a good mentor?
I've had 3 different Mentors help me learn what being a good instructor really means. They explained the technical knowledge needed. Then they helped me understand how to read a student that's got problems. After that they showed me that really listening and hearing a student is the mst important of all.
You were lucky to have that "old guy" in your life, Steven. It sounds like your students are lucky to have you as their "old guy" now.
I can remember an "Old Guy" when I first started out working for Caterpillar. I was 24-25 and he seemed to have the greatest amount of patients with me and my learning curve. I had come from more of an automotive background along with being young excited. Things here were considerably more industrial, heavier requiring using your head instead of your back. He'd say things like "Great you can pick that up all by yourself." I'm thinking Huh, wasn't that heavy. Then he'd cap it off with " Now how about doing that all day, or when 40, 50, your career? Use the tools available to you ask for help. You’re not going to impress anyone with great feats of strength. You were hired for your brains not your brawn! One of many lessons learned. He also taught at the local community collage a semester here and there Diesel Technologies. I thought how I would love to do that one day.....
I'll tell my students some of the stories about the "Old Guy" finishing with I guess I am that "Old Guy" now I do enjoy it and them vary much. Maybe I can give you tools to work smart, long and healthy. Maybe when you’re that "Old Guy or Gal" you can continue the cycle to give back. I did get back home last summer to tell him about the influences he’d had on me, where I was and what was now doing. I was able to thank him. He passed away a couple of months later but his wife told me he had no idea he’d done anything like that for me, But He’d tell anyone who’d listen and just beam.
Thanks, Lori.
What are some of the specific things you do to position yourself to be a mentor for your students or for other team members at your school?
I have had some fantastic mentors in my past and continue to look for more in my current life. They have been parents, grandparents, coaches, bosses & instructors. I also remembered to learn from the bad bosses too – not to emulate what they did in order to be a better leader myself. Each one of the people I listed above at one time or another has helped mold me into the person and instructor that I am today. I feel without these people in my life I would not be able to be a mentor and give back once what was done for me.
In 5th grade I had a teacher who on the surface seemed very strict in the hallways. When I moved on to 5th grade I didnt have him for the first two days but then they switched me to his class and I was devistated. On the first day in his class he had me come to the front of the classs and read. I am not sure if I read well or not but he praised me and my view of him was totally changed. He ended up being my favorite teacher of all time. Strict yet engaging. I never wanted to let him down with bad test scores.
Thank you, Gabriel.
"Intellectual rigor" is a term that does not come up that often in these discussion forums. What do you do to help your students understand the value of such rigor?
My graduate advisor during my masters program had a profound effect on the direction of my life. She taught me the value of intellectual rigor and informed thinking. She was also there when I needed some help with some life issues. Her example has guided me as I interact with the students at my school.
Thanks, Gretchen.
What was it about the way he delivered constructive criticism that made you appreciate the feedback?
My mentor is a former boss of mine and now is one of my greatest friends.He has influenced me by encouraging me to follow my goals,through his constuctive criticism he pushed me to become a better pastry chef.
Jason,
You share some good thoughts here. A simple thing like being positive and courteous can make all the difference.
I worked with a chef when I first started teaching and we bonded right away. He was a tremendous chef who worked at very high end respectable places and I admired him alot. He showed me how to comunicate, organize and fallow up in the school setting. Other students admired him he was allways positive and curtious. I have tried to fallow this role and he is with me daily as I advance as a instructor. It is impacts like this that make me have a high awarness about the effect my involvment can play with the students at school.
The biggest thing was that they made me feel as though I was important and that what I did was something special. It gave me the confidence to even want to do better.
Thanks John. I am certain your students see the same traits and behaviors in you.
I think the best way to answer that is that they listened carefully to my questions, shared experiences and led by example.
Randy,
What about those teachers made them great mentors? What did they do for you that you also do for your students?
I have had several teachers in grade school and in high school that greatly influenced my life. As I look back and remember the impact that they had on me, I hope that I can influece those that I come in contact with as well.
Thanks, Lauren.
My mentor was my father. He always put others first and lived and worked the way he wanted us to live and work. It is great to see that others also feel this way about their parents.
