My biggest mentor was my Uncle Matt Mehok. Uncle Matt taught me the value of a positive attitude, which I try to display to all of my students. If your students believe what your teaching has great value to them it is easy to keep them interested in class. A positive attitude about your topic tells the students the topic is of value to them.
I can not recall ever having a mentor.
Joseph, great wisdom and advise! Your students will always remember you!!!
Sounds like you have had some great Mentors and now you are passing it on to your student!
They say we only have about five true Mentors in our lives and we never forget them.
I also was mentored by my athletic coaches and credit one in particular that really encouraged me to compete on a national level. Without his involvement in my life that wouldn't have been possible. It wasn't as if he was my personal coach either. He was involved in the whole team. It's amazing how much we affect our students without even knowing it.
Over the years I have had several teachers that have influenced me, starting with two in high school, one a business teacher that actually had the nerve to show that I was not the dummy that others had told me that I was. While I was in the military there were several mentors that helped me thru many rough spots in my education and since then in various classes that I have attended there have been people that cared enough to follow up and ensure that I was absorbing what was being presented. This is the type of instructor that I have attempted to model myself after. I care that a student is not in my class, so I try to follow up on each absence, if a student has a low grade, we talk and I try to find out if it is the way that I presented the subject, or if the honestly did not get it. I make myself available to the students for tutoring or just talking about the subject to clear up some points, both in the classroom and in the labs. I have tried to teach by showing the correct way and encouraging the student to practice something until they are comfortable and can do it correctly every time. So far this approach has been succesful for me.
As a new instructor I was fortunate to have begun working with several experienced instructors who were and still are a great help to me. At times being able to gain guidance from an experienced instructor is necessary for my instuctional skill development.
Dr. Pace,
Parents would be the first mentors in my life leading as they always have by example. The first mentor I encountered outside of home was my high school Auto tech teacher Mr. Adams...we referred to him as Doc Adams and Dad Adams more often, no doubt because of his connection with us as students like a parent, leader, coach etc...IE a Mentor. I remember the care, time and attention he gave all of us in auto class mixed with the real life stories of his successes and failures which inspired me to success. He always had a positive attitude no matter what happened on any given day.
When I got out in the field I worked with an older technician who mentored me in the shop. He too spent the time even though he was flat rate and potentially lost money while helping me. The friendly, yet professional and real way these gentlemen helped me to learn and then hone my craft sticks with me today.
I always tell my students the first rule is attitude...make it good, negative doesn't help anyone. When the work is tough or life is hard, just take a deep breath and move forward...slow forward is still progress...
Every cloud doesn't have a silver lining, because some are gold or platinum...
In the words of Yoda, "There is no try there is only do...or do not.
I encourage students toward success because of the examples I had the good fortune to experience in my life.
Be sure to thank your mother. She may not be aware of what a wonderful Mentor she has been.
Well, it seems cliche to say my mother has been my mentor. But, if that's okay, then I would say it has been her. She has raised me to be the woman, professional, mother, and wife she strived to be.
Great response, Jeri! You developed an "Intelligent Heart" from all of the Models and Mentors in your life and now you are giving back.
Perhaps one of your family members has been a Model and Mentor for you???
I don't have a mentor that has significantly influenced my thoughts, actions, and directions. I was brought up to be self-affirming and diligent and to strive for excellence in all areas of my life. I am a self-motivator. I believe in thinking things through, making a plan, executing the plan, and evaluating the outcome. This is not to say that I have received no advice along the way; but, there is no one person that I consider a mentor that has impacted my life. As a career educator, my goal is to help my students become thinkers, affirm themselves, and adopt a sprit of excellence. I try to model these characteristics for them.
My father had taught me by example. He was in sales and he greeted everyone from the managers to the stock boys. He always inquired about their weekends, families or such. He always gave 110% of himself whether it was paper work, billing etc.
I also had great teachers in my profession. When I got to retirement age I didn't want to quit working so I decided to teach. My goal was to become the kind of teacher that I had had. And to give back to the profession that I love.
mentoring a student the first time will build confidense in the student and also hone your skills as a professional educator.
We pass good mentoring skills on to students and in turn they pass them on to others as well.
You learned from a mentor how to be an "Intelligent Heart."
When I was 15, I had a difficult time with writing papers for my English class. My teacher for that class encouraged me not to give up. She would give me suggestions on what to do to improve. Give me some helpful books. Most important she would ask me things about me that had nothing to do with school. She took the time to get to know me. This effected me in a big way. It showed me that I mattered and I wasn't just a student in a big class. From that moment on I always wanted people to know that they are important. I work hard to show that to each of my students.
Too many times I don't think about me - yes, now that you mention it, my success is VERY important to me. I just think of the fact that I learn something everyday, no matter how small or big.
