Be a better Mentor

For me, the keys to being a good mentor are showing your humility and excellent listening skills. Basically, you have to be a human and unafraid to show your human side. I have been through a lot with my students. I have dealt with school, family, work and other personal issues. I have given them guidance on everything from college choice to prom vehicle. They come to me with everything and frankly, I love it. I realized I reached this goal when I was able to speak honestly and frankly with them about not being accepted to any of the PhD programs I applied to this year. They are all nervous about college and for the past 2 years, we have had hundreds of college conversations. I am proud that they rely on me as a positive source for inspiration. I am going to keep on plodding along and I hope that they will still want to keep in touch after June.

It is going to be difficult when my 12th graders graduate this spring. I am really going to miss them, but they can’t know that. I hope that if they have learned anything from me it is to do their best and try their hardest. I have tried to imbue them with a sense of pride an accomplishment over the last almost 2 years that I have been working with them. I just hope that they all reach success on their own terms.

Part of my job is to be a good mentor to my students, I do alright, but I want to do better. I tend to gravitate toward a certain group of students and I need to be a good mentor to them all.

On our way to a walking tour of Jackson Heights, Queens, I had a great talk with one of my college-bound seniors. I need to have talks like this with my 9th graders too.

I think i did a good job of being available, listening and encouraging my high school and college kids. My grad students were really independent this year. I did pretty well with keeping contact w/ my mentors.