Putting Them First

Hello friends!

This week we discussed establishing and maintaining relationships with our mentees in the fall. The book talks about some very important ground rules for mentoring relationships which I found to be very important to remember. Under the “Why are we here?” section on page 60, they listed honesty, commitment, boundaries, confidentiality, and expectations as key things to keep in mind in a mentoring relationship.

Honesty is something I strive for in my day to day life with people, and it’s just as important to be honest with your students this fall. It seems so simple to be honest with your students. You can’t do everything and your students need to know that. Don’t be afraid to tell your students you don’t know what advice to give them in a certain situation and forward them to someone else who can. Remember to always keep their best interest in mind.

Being committed to your students is of course something to keep in mind, but it’s definitely not difficult to do. You’ll learn in the fall that you care more about your students and how they are adjusting to college life then you could have imagined. Committing yourself to setting a positive example for your students and following through on promises you’ve made to them is essential in order for them to respect you.

Setting boundaries with your students should be done from the moment you meet them. You have to make sure your students understand that you are in charge and in control of class and that they need to answer to you. You can be a friend to your students very easily, but remember to not let your guard down and get too comfortable with them. Be personal and thoughtful, but keep the stories of your crazy weekend in Campustown to yourself.

Your students will be coming to you with a multitude of questions and concerns. They will be trusting you to listen to some very personal information and not to tell other people. Talking to your co-leader and higher-ups in the program should be the only person you relay this information to unless you’re in some sort of emergency. Don’t break any of these confidences unless you absolutely have to.

Finally is expectations. Setting expectations for your students from the beginning is necessary to start the semester off right. You need to understand how your students work and encourage them in any way possible to make sure they can live up to their own potential. Support them and help them whenever and however you can (within reason of course). And if all else fails, don’t be afraid to go to others for advice. The number one rule is to ALWAYS keep your students best interest in mind.

Hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather this weekend. And have a lovely Valentine’s Day! :)

-Chels