Portrait of a Mentor

“A mentor is a trusted guide, a caring, responsible adult, and a positive role model but not a parent/legal guardian, a social worker, or a psychologist… [that helps students] play an active role in their own development by identifying their own needs, making those needs specific, soliciting mentor assistance, and making effective use of that help to increase their own learning.” (Norton, p. 3, 5)

Overview

K-12 online learning is a way for students to complete coursework in a digital setting. Course material is presented over the internet through a series of screen-cast lectures, video notes, educational videos, video meetings, critical reading, online activities, discussion boards and forums, and meetings with the instructor. But the lack of verbal and visual cues found in the brick-and-mortar environment makes creating a personal relationship with students challenging. Unfortunately, many students may feel isolated from their teacher and may not feel comfortable asking questions of an invisible person on the “other end” of the internet. To solve this problem, many programs offer on-site facilitators for blended schools or mentors to reduce this feeling of disconnection. Despite the benefits of mentoring, in the growing field of fully online schools, few know how to provide this type of program.

This document will outline what qualities a teacher should have to be a quality mentor.

Remember- Mentors are teachers, too!

Sources

Drysdale, J. S., Graham, C. R., & Borup, J. (2014). An online high school “shepherding” program: Teacher roles and experiences mentoring onlinestudents. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 22(1), 9–32. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/112372

Lang, J. (January 19, 2015). Waiting for us to notice them. Retrieved from http://www.chronicle.com/article/Waiting-for-Us-to-Notice-Them/151255/

Norton, P. Why mentor not teach?. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/16o6NNVDMThZa_hImC85IhAX-2X-WAE8SZQMPhT-FiSQ/edit

Zachary, L. Mentoring at a distance: strategies for success. Retrieved from http://iols.gmu.edu/assets/761/Article8b.pdf

Picture of cheerleader, Retrieved from http://clipartix.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Cheerleader-clip-art-download-clipartwiz.jpg

Picture of person with large ear, Retrieved from http://www.personalitytutor.com/files/2012/02/How-To-Be-A-Better-Listener.jpg

Picture of hands, Retrieved from https://chasinghollyfeld.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/hands-adult-reaching-to-help-child-4383246_l6.jpg

Picture of heads with talk bubble, Retrieved from http://www.budtoboss.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/B2B-Communication.jpg