What the Best Mentors Do
Be Available
- Make Mentor-Mentee meetings a priority (this includes preparing for meetings too!)
- Encourage mentee to reach out in between meetings
- Reach out to mentee periodically
Listen and Support
- Communicate enthusiasm for and commitment to mentoring
- Maintain confidentiality
- Actively listen and assist mentee with problem-solving (avoids being too quick to “fix” problems or offer solutions)
- Provide encouragement and celebrate success stories
- Share teaching experiences as appropriate
- Encourage personal-professional balance
- Act as a role model
Advocate and Connect
- Introduce mentee to other faculty, administrators, and staff
- Invite mentee to “tag along” to mentor’s meetings and classes
- Encourage mentee participation in department and campus activities as appropriate
Share Information
- Assist mentee with learning about campus culture and values
- Stay up to date on campus policies and the college vision and values and share this information with mentee
- Provide timely information about campus procedures, services, important dates and activities
Challenge
- Assist mentee with establishing challenging goals for self and for the mentoring relationship
- Ask questions to get mentee thinking deeply about learning and teaching