Hootan Melamed Discusses Why Mentorships are Important for Students and Teachers
It is energizing to look to the future as the world heads back to school, work, and long-awaited events. How the pandemic has affected students is still unfolding, and it will take time to rebalance years of remote learning. Hootan Melamed of Los Angeles, California, believes that the impact of early mentorship may well have saved the day.
Mentorship is especially valuable for young people from underrepresented groups and first-generation students. A recent report from the National Mentoring Partnership found that mentors impact young people’s lives regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.
What is Mentorship?
Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or wiser person guides a less experienced or less knowledgeable one. Mentorships have been shown to impact young people’s lives regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.
Hootan Melamed feels that mentorship programs help students build connections between school and career paths, which will last beyond the school year. They also give students access to people outside of school who can provide guidance and support during challenging times. In addition, they allow students to explore real-world experiences and learn more about themselves while developing skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and networking.
The Role of a Mentor
A mentor offers guidance and support, listens without judgment, and sees potential in a young person.
Research suggests that mentorships help improve student achievement by providing additional resources outside of school. A recent report from the non-profit organization Achieves found that many working adults were likely to be successful as adults if they had been mentored as children. And the benefits don’t end there.
Benefits for Students
Hootan Melamed believes that these are a few reasons why mentorships are so important for students and teachers.
Individualized Goal Setting
Another benefit for students is that mentors can help them set individual goals. For example, a mentor could encourage students to become involved in community service projects or attend career seminars.
Better Performance and Better Grades
Studies show that students who have had the opportunity to form long-term mentoring relationships with adults tend to perform better in school and get better grades than their peers who did not have any such opportunities. Mentorships also provide young people an opportunity for social and emotional development — both essential elements of success later in life.
Graduation Rates
According to data from the U.S Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, over 50 percent of all students of color do not graduate high school on time. Through mentorships, young people can stay on track to graduate high school — which is also highly correlated with career success.
Relationships Build on Trust
When relationships are based on trust, Hootan Melamed believes that they can provide a sense of security that allows young people to explore new ideas and take risks. This is especially important during the formative years when students try to figure out who they are and what they want to do with their lives.
Benefits for Teachers
Mentorships don’t only benefit students. There are plenty of benefits for teachers as well.
In addition to the benefits that mentorships offer students, they also offer several benefits for teachers. For example, mentorships can help teachers reflect on their teaching practices, learn new strategies, and connect with other professionals in their field.
Reaching All Students
Mentorships can also help teachers reach all of their students, not just those easily engaged or excel in school. This is because mentorships provide a personal connection for students who may be struggling somehow, and they can also help reduce the achievement gap between different groups of students.
Helping Teachers Stay Connected to Their Profession
As teachers move through their careers, staying connected to the latest research and developments is often difficult. However, by serving as a mentor to another teacher, they can stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices.
Opening Doors to Possibilities
Mentorships also provide opportunities for teachers to explore new possibilities for their careers. For example, a mentor might suggest taking on a leadership role in the school or becoming involved with a professional organization.
A More Rewarding Teaching Experience
Above all, mentorships provide teachers with a more rewarding teaching experience. By working closely with other individuals, teachers can see the same progress in their mentees that they could make themselves when they were younger.
One-to-one Mentor Match
According to the National Mentoring Partnership, one-to-one mentorship is most effective for students because it provides personalized attention and encourages accountability. However, group mentor programs can also be beneficial — especially for middle school students who work better in smaller groups or elementary students who are still learning to interact independently.
It’s important not to place too many students in one group because having too many mentors can decrease the program’s effectiveness by encouraging these young people to rely on their peers instead of adults.
Final Thoughts
Mentorships are important for students because they offer guidance and support during challenging times. In addition, mentors can help students set individual goals and explore real-world experiences. Mentorships also benefit teachers by reflecting on their teaching practices, learning new strategies, and staying connected to the latest research and developments.
Lastly, mentorships open doors to new possibilities for teachers’ careers. Overall, mentorship programs are beneficial for both parties involved and should be encouraged in schools everywhere.
