Anthony,
I am sure if you look back at the best instructors and the "not so good" instructors in your life, you will find that you have also picked up teaching methods from each of them as well.
I had one employer when I first started in the field that took the time to teach me simple ways to do things its showed me that he cared. Still talk to him years later.
When I first started out as a technician my mentor was the shop forman at the dealership. He didn't just treat me like one of the techs. He got to know me personally and we eventually became friends. Ontop of being one of the smartest techs I've ever known. He was a nice enough guy to want to get to know me -- always asking about my home life -- getting envolved.
The effects it has on me for my role as a career educator is huge. I always try to get to know the students a little and help them with non automotive related problems. This has helped me build a solid relationship with them.
James,
Getting to know your students helps drastically in the ability to mentor to your stuents. Knowing information about their work or family, can develop the relationship needed to directly touch a student's success.
My mentors were the Field Enginners at the Ford training center , everytime I went for training I was always impressed with the way the classes were conducted and always pictured myself doing the same thing some day , teaching someone and having a good time doing it too .
Antonio,
You were fortunate to have such top quality mentors. Your students will remember you the same way!
My mentors were those that didn't just tell me what was expected and hold me accountable; but those that lived by the same expectations they taught. Students can see through insincerity.
The mentor who probably had the biggest impact on my education and my career was an instructor I had in college. He was a wealth of knowledge, he ran a tight ship in his classroom, and always had time to talk with his students. As graduation approached, I entered a technical competition, and I won. He was there at the awards ceremony, and when the school sent me off to compete at the national level, he came along, taking time out of his own vacation. He passed away later that same year, but I have never forgotten what kind of mentor he was. I thought about him often while I was in the field, and now that I'm an instructor, I try to lead by the same example he set.
I have had many years of experience in the field that I teach. the mentor that I remember as having the most impact on my life taught me to take things one step at a time, with a positive attitude and all problems will be solved.
I worked with a guy who encouraged me to take things apart. He said if someone could build this thing there is no reason you cannot take it apart and rebuild it
Andrew,
You were very fortunate to have had such a won derful mentor in your life to model after. You are now becoming that same mentor to your students.
That is the MODELING component of the 3 M's!!! Nice going!
Growing up as a young man I had a family member who was a teacher and had a great impression on me to become a teacher. They had a talent to help others while giving a student a ray of hope that the student can do something great. The best thing is now that I am a teacher I can give back to my student what I have learned over the years.
Elizabeth,
This is an excellent point. The best mentors are those who model the same behavior as that being mentored. Students can easily tell if someone is being truthful and caring or just doing their job.
Andrew,
This is a great story and example of mentoring. The key factor here is attention and time. He always had (made) time and was very attentive of your actions. I'm sure he gave the negatives just as much attention, but addressed them in a very postiive way.
I have come across two mentors in my life. Both have been bosses in my previous career in business. The first hired me on the spot, without demanding much work experience. Most of our interview seemed more personal and not what I expected for a managerial position. Some time after being hired, I brought it up as if I really needed an explanation. He simply told me his company worked based on intelligent hearts and he looked for better emotional managers. He also enabled me to envision myself as a successful business woman, thus giving me direction in my life. Today I am still friends with him. That experience brought me much value, opportunity, and direction to my life that I know without him mentoring and monitoring me would have drastiically impacted me negatively. I realize students need the same involvement from their teachers/mentors to help build, develop and guide them. I will gladly pass on this knowledge!
i realy don't have any mentors from my past. you see my brother and i grew up dirt poor in a town that was geared to what your last name was. so since ower last name didn't mean nothing, then we didn't mean nothing. this is why i would perfer to teach a class of total screw ups and bad ass kids with attitudes then kids that are well manered and smart(book smart). the "bad asskids" in my book are more street smart and have more common sense. i know where they are comming from and if i "bring the hammer down" on them they know i do it becouse i care and i am trying to get them ready for the real world.
the "troubled students" never heard the phrase " mind your P's & Q's". (personal qualities). this is what i try to teach to them while teaching my course. and in the end , the students come back to see me all the time even though they are in other class's . they seek me out to say hey, or more than likely to bust my balls. this is also the reason why they call me papa"O". becouse i treat them like my own kids. now, do i get yelled at becouse of my kids?, -- yes--. but i wouldn't have it any other way. you see, when the students see i get yelled at becouse of them, then they see some one does care about them and that is when even the badest kids shape up and "there personal quailities" start coming out (even if they bottled them up for years).
then by the end of the time that i have them , those are the students that get the lab clean, garbage picked up, floors swept and mopped,ect...
the bad ass kids are not so bad. they just needed a mentor.
Joseph,
Sounds like you've got it figured out with your students using your own personality and style.
Nice going!
Nice going Cynthia!!! Great response.
I wouldn't say that I have had a mentor, rather I would say that I have been influenced by how others react to situations and scenarios presented to them on a daily basis. I have learned from observing and have always tried to do the right thing. As an educator, I have had little to no mentoring, and have had to learn the ropes of teaching mostly by trial and error. I bring a lot of experience to the classroom and couple that with my desire to see students be successful and help them achieve their dreams and goals has carried me pretty far so far.
