Although I wasn't assigned a formal mentor when I started at Sweet Home (at Maplemere in a .8 position), Val Lewandowski fulfilled that role without even realizing it or being asked. She made sure I knew that she was available anytime, and she regularly checked in with me. She would give suggestions and answer my questions all while making sure I was comfortable with that ongoing dialogue. I feel that I possess many qualities that will allow me to be a successful mentor: approachable, patient, ability to make others feel comfortable and at ease, ability to give constructive feedback and positive praise, and almost 25 years teaching experience in a variety of special education settings.
One thing that stood out to me during Part 1 was the emphasis on making time to meet with your mentee. I would imagine it is very easy to just assume we'll make the time to meet and have discussions, but in reality life gets busy and weeks/months could go by without any structured meeting session. I also appreciated the point about having a plan and letting the mentee guide the meetings/discussions with their goals and what they want or need to learn.
Since this is my first year as a mentor, if I had to pick an area that I might need guidance or help with, it would probably be just being able to assess that I'm doing enough or providing the right kind of support/assistance for my mentee.
One thing that stood out to me during Part 1 was the emphasis on making time to meet with your mentee. I would imagine it is very easy to just assume we'll make the time to meet and have discussions, but in reality life gets busy and weeks/months could go by without any structured meeting session. I also appreciated the point about having a plan and letting the mentee guide the meetings/discussions with their goals and what they want or need to learn.
Since this is my first year as a mentor, if I had to pick an area that I might need guidance or help with, it would probably be just being able to assess that I'm doing enough or providing the right kind of support/assistance for my mentee.