Friday, December 31, 2010
Thought for Discussion
What qualities do you see a mentor needing? Give examples of your mentoring as either a mentor or mentee, whether it is formal or informal. How has the mentee benefited from the relationship? How has the mentor?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Final Posting
Mentorship is an interesting, fluid concept. I think that this book has done a pretty decent job of giving a philosophical view of mentorship and is able to be applied at many levels, whether at the corporate or personal level.
My goal in reading this book was not only for personal pleasure, but to help in my mentoring skills in general, and to help my fellow students in developing their mentoring and career counseling skills.
At the end of the day, we are responsible to support the generation that ultimately will replace us. Being strong and supporting them through acts of membership will ultimately lead to a better society.
My goal in reading this book was not only for personal pleasure, but to help in my mentoring skills in general, and to help my fellow students in developing their mentoring and career counseling skills.
At the end of the day, we are responsible to support the generation that ultimately will replace us. Being strong and supporting them through acts of membership will ultimately lead to a better society.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Chapter 8 - The Gifts of a Mentoring Environment
I like this chapter in that it is the culmination of what I have been looking for. According to the chapter, Mentoring is really taking in another person's experiences and modeling or finding some continuum after one's own.
One thing I really want to stress is that mentoring is not telling someone what they should be doing, it's explaining what one's own experience has been in a given situation. Too many times people spend time telling their mentees what to do and then can't figure out why they don't do what they are told. That's parenting, not mentoring.
The chapters indicate mentors have clay feet in that they are still there, puposeful and a strong boat in the face of wind.
One thing I really want to stress is that mentoring is not telling someone what they should be doing, it's explaining what one's own experience has been in a given situation. Too many times people spend time telling their mentees what to do and then can't figure out why they don't do what they are told. That's parenting, not mentoring.
The chapters indicate mentors have clay feet in that they are still there, puposeful and a strong boat in the face of wind.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Chapter 7 - Imagination
This chapter, based on the first page talking about "exploring, understanding, and naming self, world, and 'God'". Basically, it's about defining the world around the young adult. I think that's an important and critical role the adult must take, and they shouldn't take that task lightly.
If the young adult can define their world around them, then they can more effectively address their goals and ideas about what their future holds. Being more determined in what they should become as determined by their higher power can be an important.
However, when this is occurring, the text discusses in depth the importance of having rapport with the mentor in an effort to define these. I think that, as an adult educator or mentor, that is important - again looking at the process of meaning making that the young adult goes through in order to create definition around them.
The text also discusses "sabbath time" - a moment for pause and reflection. How important is that! Time to reflect on the past and look positively towards the future. I don't think anyone does that enough. I am very much a supporter of journaling. This can lead to a "repattering" of life and goals.
It seems to me that the young adult should do this, and not rely wholly on the mentor to do this for them as it can be an individual process.
It leads very well into the ins and outs of mentoring environments to be discussed in the final two chapters of the book.
If the young adult can define their world around them, then they can more effectively address their goals and ideas about what their future holds. Being more determined in what they should become as determined by their higher power can be an important.
However, when this is occurring, the text discusses in depth the importance of having rapport with the mentor in an effort to define these. I think that, as an adult educator or mentor, that is important - again looking at the process of meaning making that the young adult goes through in order to create definition around them.
The text also discusses "sabbath time" - a moment for pause and reflection. How important is that! Time to reflect on the past and look positively towards the future. I don't think anyone does that enough. I am very much a supporter of journaling. This can lead to a "repattering" of life and goals.
It seems to me that the young adult should do this, and not rely wholly on the mentor to do this for them as it can be an individual process.
It leads very well into the ins and outs of mentoring environments to be discussed in the final two chapters of the book.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Chapter 6 On Belonging
Key point here is: "human becoming absolutely depends upon the quality of interaction between the person and his or her social network."
The chapter does a decent job of discussing how the community of belonging, which gets redefined as a child ages from a conventional dependent community, to a self-selected community, is important as a child develops into a young adult.
The chapter also discusses how societal norms are infused on the young adult. These change from societal norms in the eyes of the child to self-directed value systems that, through the help of a mentor, the child can develop that leads to successes later in life.
However, as the child develops their value systems, there is a higher level of complexity and challenges that they face. With hope they are not facing this challenge alone, but with the assistance of a helpful mentor the can handle the complexity and competing interests.
A clear example is the foster or adoptive child who is choosing between two communities - their community of origin or the community of the foster parent, which can be dramatically different. A third party coming in and assisting the child in developing a value system which may be inclusive of the two communities helps the child grow and develop.
The chapter does a decent job of discussing how the community of belonging, which gets redefined as a child ages from a conventional dependent community, to a self-selected community, is important as a child develops into a young adult.
The chapter also discusses how societal norms are infused on the young adult. These change from societal norms in the eyes of the child to self-directed value systems that, through the help of a mentor, the child can develop that leads to successes later in life.
However, as the child develops their value systems, there is a higher level of complexity and challenges that they face. With hope they are not facing this challenge alone, but with the assistance of a helpful mentor the can handle the complexity and competing interests.
A clear example is the foster or adoptive child who is choosing between two communities - their community of origin or the community of the foster parent, which can be dramatically different. A third party coming in and assisting the child in developing a value system which may be inclusive of the two communities helps the child grow and develop.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Chapter 5 - It All Depends...
Continuing on the philosophical education front, this chapter takes a look at changes in our lives and how they are impacting the development of the young adult.
Again, it takes a look at the development of the child from a dependent being, to an interdependent, successful young adult. I wouldn't say that dependency is necessarily a bad thing for the child. However, when a young adult is experiencing a higher-than-normal level of dependency, that could be considered clinical co-dependency.
There is a middle area in this development called counter dependence, which we as adults observe in our children all the time - it is a pulling away from the authority that they needed when they were very dependent.
There is yet another topic that is discussed called inner-dependence, which I think goes hand-in-hand with c0-dependency in the case that a higher level of inner-dependence can have the tendency to wear off co-dependency that many adults experience.
All in all, the chapter does an effective job of discussing the young adults relationship to the self and world around them. Being self-reliant is expressed effectively within the discussion.
Again, it takes a look at the development of the child from a dependent being, to an interdependent, successful young adult. I wouldn't say that dependency is necessarily a bad thing for the child. However, when a young adult is experiencing a higher-than-normal level of dependency, that could be considered clinical co-dependency.
There is a middle area in this development called counter dependence, which we as adults observe in our children all the time - it is a pulling away from the authority that they needed when they were very dependent.
There is yet another topic that is discussed called inner-dependence, which I think goes hand-in-hand with c0-dependency in the case that a higher level of inner-dependence can have the tendency to wear off co-dependency that many adults experience.
All in all, the chapter does an effective job of discussing the young adults relationship to the self and world around them. Being self-reliant is expressed effectively within the discussion.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Chapter 4 - It matters how we think
This chapter discusses the evolution that the young adult takes in developing their thought patterns, from adult-based thought processes based on general acceptance of what the adult is saying to independent thinking.
As the young adult develops in their "meaning making" as identified in previous chapters, they are able to independently identify their thoughts - whether or not they have substance or facts/evidence to back up their thoughts. Just the simple act of making a statement whether it be fact based or not, is a step in the right direction.
As we know the brain does not fully develop until the child reaches age 25 (I heard this from the author of the "5 love languages" process). However, adult education and learning help the child develop these new thought patterns, potentially helping them use facts to back up what they are saying. The author refers to this as "self-awareness".
In conclusion, the author states "Adult connotes one's having achieved the composition of the critically-aware self, with its attendant responsibility for the self". I think that's a fair conclusion and summation of how the brain fully develops into the critically aware young adult. This helps from a mentoring perspective in that the mentor can help the mentee further action this development.
As the young adult develops in their "meaning making" as identified in previous chapters, they are able to independently identify their thoughts - whether or not they have substance or facts/evidence to back up their thoughts. Just the simple act of making a statement whether it be fact based or not, is a step in the right direction.
As we know the brain does not fully develop until the child reaches age 25 (I heard this from the author of the "5 love languages" process). However, adult education and learning help the child develop these new thought patterns, potentially helping them use facts to back up what they are saying. The author refers to this as "self-awareness".
In conclusion, the author states "Adult connotes one's having achieved the composition of the critically-aware self, with its attendant responsibility for the self". I think that's a fair conclusion and summation of how the brain fully develops into the critically aware young adult. This helps from a mentoring perspective in that the mentor can help the mentee further action this development.
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