This is the 6th day in a 30 day challenge from Teach Thought.
Mentors are important in any profession, but they are crucial for teachers to remain in the profession and be effective. I whole-heartedly agree with the sentiment Bill Gates presents in his TED talk "Everyone Needs a Coach". I don't know where I would be without great teachers who mentored me. It's a mistake to assume that only younger teachers need mentors. This is my 15th year of teaching and I often approach my mentors both in and out of my school to help me.
So, what does a good mentor do? My mentors do three things for me.
1. They give me perspective.
Teaching is tough, mentally and physically. Sometimes I get discouraged because the day didn't go as planned, or I can't seem to reach a certain student. That is when I find one of my mentors and talk it over. I remember one time in particular, I was having a really tough time with a student. I felt like an utter failure because I could barely get the student to sit still for 10 minutes let alone get them to care about reading and writing about literature. At the end of the day, I walked downstairs to talk to my mentor . Okay. Let's be honest. I wanted to whine to my mentor. She patiently listened and nodded her head in all the right places. Then she told me a story about the student and the last time he was in trouble a conversation he had with her. She asked him which class he liked best. She expected him to say "none" or "gym". Instead, he said he liked his English class. When she asked him why he told her that I really "got him". I was stunned. She then went on to tell me that maybe this student would never love Shakespeare or sit in his seat for 10 minutes, but somehow, someway I was getting through to him. I needed to remember that sometimes teaching is more than what is in the curriculum map.
2. They encourage learning from my mistakes.
Teaching is a job that requires you to think on your feet and learn as you go. Policy makers and law makers often put a policy or law into place without knowing how it will look in a classroom. As a result, teachers are often figuring it out live in front of our students. It is the proverbial building a plane as we are flying it. This is hard for someone like me who is a planner and a Type A personality. I don't like to be unsure of myself. Nor do I like to make mistakes. Yet, mistakes happen. I didn't plan well, I fussed at a student who didn't deserve it, or I made a judgement call before having all the information. When that happens, I remember the words of another mentor who often said "It happened. Make amends, if necessary. Fix it. Don't do it again. Spend 15 minutes freaking out about it, but then move on and do better next time". I love this advice. I am allowed to freak out, but I am also required to learn from the mistake.
3. They encourage me to take risks.
Good mentors know that there is plenty of work in education and that we need as many teachers as possible involved in policy making, curriculum design, etc. Good mentors motivate others to engage in the profession. Good mentors take risks and encourage those around them to do the same. My mentors are the first people to cheer me on when I talk about trying something new in the classroom or applying for a new opportunity out of the classroom. Good mentors recognize the value of trying new approaches in the classroom. They are often my biggest defenders when others think what I am doing sounds crazy. Many times, a mentor has sent me an e-mail or a note telling me I would be perfect for this committee or that initiative. It's usually the push I need to get involved. Good mentors know that experience is often the best teacher. You can't gain experience without taking some risks.
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