Monday, April 18, 2011

Mentoring Monday


Tips on Mentoring Students


Develop and Sustain Trust
To be an effective mentor, you must establish a line of communication and build a solid foundation of trust. One of the easiest ways to build trust is to be consistent and keep promises, even if the student does not. Let him/her know that you are there for him/her and what he/she tells you stays in confidence between the two of you.

Be a Friend
A mentor is not the student's substitute parent, guardian or an authority figure. Leading by example, a mentor should inspire his/her student to make good, solid decisions and allow his/her student to form his/her own opinion rather than preach personal values and morals. Criticizing his/her actions or shared opinions puts distance between the mentor and student, stifling the flow of communication. Focus on establishing a bond, a warm friendship.

Be Positive
A few encouraging words can lift the self-esteem of a young person. When helping a student with schoolwork or discussing grades, find a positive aspect to build on before tackling challenging issues or negative marks. Building his/her self-confidence is as important as assisting with fractions and ratios. Asking the student to explain his/her solution to an academic task is an example of how to build self-confidence because it allows the student to show off his/her knowledge of a particular subject.

http://www.ehow.com/list_7623745_tips-mentoring-students.html

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