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What is a Mentor?
« Thread started on: Aug 10th, 2003, 8:14pm » |
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The Mythology
Mentor was the trusted counsellor of Odysseus. Before Odysseus set sail for the Trojan War he made Mentor guardian to his son Telemachus. Mentor was friend, advisor and teacher to Telemachus, helping him grow into a noble hearted, clear thinking prince.
Mentor also advised Penelope, Odysseus' wife. With Odysseus gone twenty years, many men tried to woo Penelope and take over the kingdom of Ithaca. It was Mentor who came up with the plan - Penelope insisted to her suitors that she must first weave a sacred cloth for Artemis, goddess of the moon, and only once she had completed her task could she choose among them. But every night, once they had fallen into a drunken sleep, she would unravel what she had woven that day.
Mentor also helped Odysseus reclaim his kingdom when he returned from the war.
How did Mentor know what to do and what to advise? Mentor was Athene, goddess of wisdom, in disguise.
To this day a mentor is a guide, someone with wisdom and foresight who helps another find their path. A mentor is generally a more experienced person, passing on their knowledge and skills to a less experienced person.
Mentoring is different to friendship. Mentoring has a specific purpose, and the relationship should be entirely focussed on the mentee. Mentors should maintain objectivity and distance from the mentee, whilst being empathic at the same time. It is important to realise that mentors and mentees have different levels of power.
A mentor should have:
a clear understanding of the goals of the mentoring program and their reason for committing to those goals
the ability to create warmth between themselves and the mentee,
the ability to give constructive feedback to mentees and to help them facilitate their own problem-solving process by fostering their sense of independence
the ability to manage themselves - to be aware of their own needs, goals and support structures
a willingness to learn from their own experiences, the program, other mentors and their new students
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Re: What is a Mentor?
« Reply #1 on: Aug 10th, 2003, 8:16pm » |
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I: WHAT IS A MENTOR ?
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Mentors play many roles.
A Mentor, in the historical sense, is seen as someone who:
is a loyal friend, confidant and advisor
is a teacher, guide, coach and role model
is entrusted with the care and education of another
has knowledge and advanced or expert status and who is attracted to and nurtures a person of talent and ability
is willing to give away what he or she knows in a non-competitive way
represents skill, knowledge, virtue and accomplishment
The most effective mentors:
welcome newcomers into the profession and take a personal interest in their career development and well-being
want to share their knowledge, materials, skill and experiencewith those they mentor
offer support, challenge, patience and enthusiasm while they guide others to new levels of competence
point the way and represent tangible evidence of what one can become
expose the recipients of their mentoring to new ideas, perspectives and standards, and to the values and norms of the profession
are more expert in terms of knowledge but view themselves as equal to those they mentor
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The Concept of Mentoring
The concept of mentoring has a long history, one that comes to us from Greek mythology. In Homer's Odyssey, Mentor was the teacher of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. But Mentor was more than a teacher. Mentor was half-God and half-man, half-male and half-female, believable and yet unreachable. Mentor was the union of both goal and path, wisdom personified (Daloz, 1983).
Today, some 3500 years later, mentoring relationships are still valued. In many professions mentors are thought to enhance if not ensure the professional development and success of talented newcomers. Increasingly, mid-career professionals seek mentors when they wish to develop new levels of expertise and to advance in the profession.
Yet, if mentoring were only a means for aspiring young professionals to gain a career foothold or to be given a boost up the career ladder, mentoring would be a one-way street. Common experience tells us that one-sided relationships do not work as well as reciprocal relationships where there is an even exchange of some kind. In fact, mentoring relationships most likely are reciprocal if they achieve their fullest potential.
What does a mentor derive from mentoring? Erickson's description of the Eight Stages of Man sheds some light on the question:
"For the mentor, Erickson's seventh stage of 'generativity' adds further substance to the mentoring relationship. The desire that one's work and influence 'live on' is an important life goal. The nurturing and influencing of young adults and the facilitation of their efforts to form and live out their hopes and wishes can fulfill the generative needs of the mentor" (Rodriquez, et. al.,1984).
Thus, among the strongest and most compelling reasons for serving as a mentor may be the desire to fulfill one's own felt need to contribute to the growth, development and wish fulfillment of an aspiring professional. The act of mentoring allows one to repay, in some measure, the intrinsic benefits he or she has derived from the profession.
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Hypatia society
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Re: What is a Mentor?
« Reply #3 on: Aug 31st, 2003, 10:19pm » |
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thanks Arista, I will look for them next time I hit the stacks 
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viro84
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Re: What is a Mentor?
« Reply #4 on: Jul 22nd, 2005, 07:18am » |
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I really need someone to help me...
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