0
Is a Mentor Different From a Teacher, Which is Best for Me to Reach My Goals?
6 years agoIs a Mentor Different From a Teacher, Which is Best for Me to Reach My Goals?
Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. It is a learning and development partnership between someone with vast experience and someone who wants to learn.
Professional/Academic Mentoring is usually a one-on-one relationship between a mentee seeking assistance with career and professional development and a mentor who has experience working in either an industrial or business setting or in an academic setting
The person in receipt of mentorship may be referred to as a protégé (male), a protégée (female), an apprentice or, in the 2000s, a mentee
Teachers and Mentors are similar in that both focus on their pupil’s success. However, the role of the teacher is more about sharing their knowledge through instruction and explanation. Perhaps Teachers require more patience to cope with their less self reliant and self determined students and need to meet with their students more often to keep them motivated.
Mentoring, on the other hand, is more informal and relational in nature. A mentor acts as an adviser and guide to their more motivated and self reliant mentees, sharing knowledge based on their lived experience as well as their expert knowledge. Mentors rely less on frequent meetings with the mentee and are more likely to assign challenges and tasks for the mentee to have accomplished before meeting again.
Beyond instruction and explanation, mentors encourage mentees to think, reason, and to understand the mechanics and logic of things. There’s more sharing between the two as mentors strive to help their mentees grow into peers.
Mentoring focuses more on applying knowledge in practice. Not just how to do something, but why it’s useful. Mentors impart their wisdom, practical insight, and creativity to encourage learners to express and develop their own skills.
SETTING EXPECTATIONS Fundamental to successful mentoring is a common understanding of the expectations you and your mentor have for the relationship. Potential conflicts can be prevented if you set the ground rules for the relationship together at the beginning. After determining your own expectations of the mentoring relationship, meet with your mentor to go through a mentoring agreement. Doing this will allow you to make sure that you are both on the same page.
Which One Is Right For Me?
Teachers can be mentors and mentors can be teachers. Both have an important and necessary place in education. A teacher’s first priority may be instruction—but they can be creative and interactive in their approach. They recognize and foster individuality, creativity and become mentors in their own right.
And while a mentor’s priority is on personal development, the mentee must possess “know-how” skills to be successful, so mentoring will always have an instructional component.
Mentorship is not a new concept. In fact, it has been around for ages with origins tracing back to Homer’s Odyssey. Before King Odysseus leaves on his journey he asks his long-time friend named Mentor to look after and advise his son. Perhaps, Mentor was the first to be called mentor, and we still use the name today.
As a student, you might ask, “do I need a teacher or a mentor?” The answer is… you need a good mentor that is a good teacher. The two wrapped up into one.
What Makes a Good American English Mentor?
A subtle but important difference distinguishes mentors and teachers. A teacher has greater knowledge than a student; a mentor has greater knowledge and greater perspective. A good mentor will better understand his mentee’s challenges and strengths and, in the case of an English speaking and writing mentor, cut away huge swatches of information that could confuse the mentee and obscure the crux of the information the mentee needs to focus on.
Mentors understand each student.
They understand every person does not learn the same, and that everyone, has different learning goals and will require a different learning path towards those objectives.
Mentors listen.
They maintain eye contact and give students their full attention.
Mentors guide.
Mentors are there to help their students find life direction, never to push them.
Mentors are practical.
They give insights about keeping on task and setting goals and priorities.
Mentors educate.
Mentors educate about specific subjects, life, and their own careers.
Mentors provide insight.
Mentors use their personal experience to help their students avoid mistakes and learn from good decisions.
Mentors are accessible.
Mentors are available as a resource and a sounding board, and are accessible to respond to students' questions.
Mentors criticize constructively.
When necessary, mentors point out areas that need improvement, always focusing on the students' behavior, never his/her character.
Mentors are supportive.
No matter how painful the students' experience, mentors continue to encourage them to learn and improve.
Mentors are specific.
Mentors give specific advice on what was done well or could be corrected, what was achieved and the benefits of various actions.
Mentors care.
Mentors care about their students’ progress in school and career planning, as well as their personal development.
Mentors succeed.
Mentors not only are successful themselves, but they also foster success in others.
Mentors are admirable.
Mentors are usually well respected in their organizations and in the community.
I am Mentor Josephan P. Sterling (MJ)
Are you ready to speak English or not!™
