Teachers As Mentors

By Author: sanskriti school
Total Articles: 5
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Young students, full of idealism and hope, carry the flame of their goals and aspirations, ready to stake their own claim for the future. Many of them may not even be aware of it, but society looks upon them as a stable for future leaders. But the kind of leader they turn out to be in future depends very much on what kind of mentoring they got within the hallowed walls of academe, and even more basic than that, within their own home.


Every aspiring leader must come under the guidance of a mentor if he is to become better at what he does.


The word mentor applies to one who is: “a trusted friend, counselor, or teacher, usually a more experienced person.” A mentor is someone who willingly and generously provides his particular expertise to less experienced individuals so that they may be helped to advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. If he is a good mentor, he will forever be remembered by those who came under his tutelage as a great influence in their lives.


A dedicated and trusting one-on-one relationship between mentor and protégé ...
... is the building block of the mentoring process.


Teachers and mentors, far from being wealthy in terms of financial gains, are by far the richest in terms of their contributions to the countless lives they touch. They are the ones who toil quietly and soldier on to make the world a better place than when they first found it. Remember to treasure a good teacher when you see one. Hold them in high regard.


Teacher-Mentors who set out to move alongside their students and encourage them to develop, take responsibility for their actions, own their own goals etc., are likely to be more successful than those who set out to “save” or “fix” their students with a more prescriptive approach.


Some of the key challenges facing the Teacher-Mentor working with Generation Y and Generation Z students would include:

Listening to young people

Being youth-driven

Building relationships

Respecting boundaries

Being sensitive to differences

Focusing on the young person

Providing support, encouragement and challenge (academic, music, sports, art, community service, cultural etc.)

Being realistic

Giving quality time

Offering guidance


Students would value Teacher-Mentors who will meet some of their expectations, which might include:

A wise, trusted and dependable friend who can still be an authority figure
Focuses on the needs of the student.

Teaches students how to express themselves assertively in emotional situations rather than aggressively or passively.

Encourages a caring and supportive non-judgmental relationship

Seeks to empower students with key life skills, which students learn from role model Teacher-Mentors

Teaches students to be responsible for their behaviour choices

Encourages and inspires students to develop their personal vision for the future

Assists with the setting and attaining of realistic, achievable and measurable goals

Aims to see ongoing improvement in the student’s daily environment (academic, cultural activities, sport, community involvement)

Teaches students how to handle mistakes responsibly

Assists students to improve their self-worth, pride and confidence levels

Encourages students to identify with the local and wider community, appreciating the importance of being of service to others

Teaches students to be proactive, carefully weighing up consequences before taking action

Wherever possible works with the students’ parents/caregivers to provide support, friendship, encouragement, reinforcement, constructive and honest feedback, as well as wise counsel to the student


Offers suggestions, insight and advice, allowing students to make personal decisions and choicesStands up for the student when this is needed e.g. writing a job reference, supporting an application for entry to an education institution, agreeing to be a Referee on a student’s Resume etc.


Research suggests that caring relationships between students and teachers significantly enhance Social Emotional Learning (SEL) — defined as the process through which children develop their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to achieve important life tasks — which is recognized as an important factor in children’s success in school.


However, caring schools are usually the exception, especially at the secondary level where relationships between students and teachers seem to deteriorate significantly.Hence considerable care must be taken to ensure proper mentoring of the students not only at secondary level but also beyond.


About Author:

Sanskriti Education is a top rated Play Schools in Kondapur Hyderabad. It provides each student a diverse education in a safe, supportive environment that promotes self-discipline, motivation, and excellence in learning. You can find out more about us here: http://www.sanskritieducation.com/