1. What from the TedX video caused you to think more deeply about becoming a mentor?
The idea of carving out time to be face to face with a mentee caused me to think more deeply. I feel like a great way to demonstrate to your mentee that you personally invested in their success, and not just doing the bare minimum to meet the criteria. Carving out our personal time and taking the opportunity to meet in face to face helps form a greater connection and a chance to really understand your mentee and their goals, thus making you both more invested in the outcome.
2. From the Self-Assessment Inventory, what stands out the most about the questions and your answers?
When I think about someone who had an enduring and positive impact on my professional life, I think about how included and important that person made me feel, and I think that is incredibly important for a mentor to do. I see in myself this ability to form a genuine connection with people. It is so important for a mentee to feel like they are an integral part of the community; that they are adding value and not just thought of as “the new person”. When I look back at the beginning of my career, I remember how my mentors made me feel valuable, and how that encouraged me to be brave in my work and my ideas. Making a mentee feel as though they belong in your community is just as important as anything you can teach them.
3. What do you believe you might need help with as a mentor in our school district?
I anticipate needing help with the exact criterion of mentorship. I will need to know exactly what is expected of me and of my mentee. I will need to be trained on any distinct methods or systems that the district would like me to use.
The idea of carving out time to be face to face with a mentee caused me to think more deeply. I feel like a great way to demonstrate to your mentee that you personally invested in their success, and not just doing the bare minimum to meet the criteria. Carving out our personal time and taking the opportunity to meet in face to face helps form a greater connection and a chance to really understand your mentee and their goals, thus making you both more invested in the outcome.
2. From the Self-Assessment Inventory, what stands out the most about the questions and your answers?
When I think about someone who had an enduring and positive impact on my professional life, I think about how included and important that person made me feel, and I think that is incredibly important for a mentor to do. I see in myself this ability to form a genuine connection with people. It is so important for a mentee to feel like they are an integral part of the community; that they are adding value and not just thought of as “the new person”. When I look back at the beginning of my career, I remember how my mentors made me feel valuable, and how that encouraged me to be brave in my work and my ideas. Making a mentee feel as though they belong in your community is just as important as anything you can teach them.
3. What do you believe you might need help with as a mentor in our school district?
I anticipate needing help with the exact criterion of mentorship. I will need to know exactly what is expected of me and of my mentee. I will need to be trained on any distinct methods or systems that the district would like me to use.