After reading the 5 different peer mentor roles I think I am more of a connecting link because I feel my role as a peer mentor is to be a resource for my students whether it be helping them get tutoring, apply for financial aid, or show them where they can get counseling. As a peer mentor I can help my students in all aspects of their lives; however, I feel that because of this many of the risks discussed in the article are also plausible. It is important to find that line between mentor and friend because when a student calls you and they're upset you can give them advice from your personal experiences or you can send them to your supervisor or even a counselor. If a situation like this occurs, it is best to use your better judgement. For example, with one student it may be perfectly appropriate to give advice and relate to them, whereas for another student you may not have that mutual level of trust or respect so it would be best to appoint them to someone better fit to help them.
Lastly, I think the 3 most important values in a peer mentor relationship are being open-minded, honest, and relatable. Being open-minded is very important for me as a peer mentor because I know I will be dealing with many students, all unique in their own way so by keeping an open-mind I hope my students will feel comfortable talking to me about situations, knowing I won't judge or put them down. Honesty is the second most important characteristic I think I could have as a peer mentor because I want my students to know that I won't sugar coat things or build up false confidence in them because although the truth may be hard it is always better to manage in the end. If I am always honest with my students then I think they will begin to feel more comfortable in being honest with me as well, thus making it easier for me to assist them. Last but not least, relatability is also very important for me because I think, for the students it is a lot easier to open up and discuss the issues they are having with someone that can make them realize they are not alone. When being relatable I don't think you should always try to connect their problems to something you went through, they don't want to know what happened to you, they just want to know that they will survive. So instead of always saying, "One time blah blah blah happened to me which is kind of like what you're going through. And I did this..." you could say, "It sounds like you're having a really hard time right now. When I'm stressed out I like to go to the gym, is there something you can do to release stress?" By doing this I am not saying I've been through the same thing but rather, I have felt this way before also so lets help you feel better now.
Savannah! I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I liked what you wrote for your three values (I also chose relate able). Honesty stuck out to me because I did not think about it when writing my blog. This is definitely important when building trust with a student. You are absolutely right! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSavannah,
ReplyDeleteAs with what Celena said, honesty stuck out to me as well because it is probably the most important aspect of any sort of relationship, but especially with a peer mentor/mentee relationship. You also gave a great example of how to approach situations where you would like to help the student, but not tell them what to do. It will definitely be useful when it comes to the real thing! Thanks.
Savannah,
ReplyDeleteYour blog was very interesting to read and I enjoyed it! I absolutely loved the comment you made: "I don't think you should always try to connect their problems to something you went through, they don't want to know what happened to you, they just want to know that they will survive".
I loved this sentence so much because I have felt like that alt east once during my freshman year so far. I also agreed with your statement about not relating everything back to an experience that you might have had because your student might feel like your taking the "spot light" away from them when they really do need the help.
Savannah,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the point you made about trying to be relatable. You aren't always going to be able to relate to every situation with a mentee, but I like how you talked about working around that while still keeping the mentee comfortable. It makes the mentee feel more comfortable when you work on issues they are facing rather than telling them about similar situations you had been in.