Keep Gifted Students Motivated Through Mentoring
This year, 28 students have been paired with an architect, a doctor, writers, a biathlon coach, a municipal counselor, veterinarian, artists, a theatrical makeup expert, a lawyer, a carpenter, photographers, an interior designer, computer experts, and a cartoonist. These community members meet with the children for 2 hours each week over an 8-10 week period. At the end of the program, students prepare a presentation for their classmates. These young people have accomplished a variety of tasks under the tutelage of their mentors, including building a ski rack, mastering an architectural drafting program, and working at a veterinary hospital.
The two teachers in charge of the program this year said that they were surprised that it wasn’t that difficult to find community members to volunteer their time to help the students and that the program is very fulfilling to the mentors, as well as the young people.
Each student should be screened to determine if he really has a strong interest in a subject and is willing to commit to the time necessary to participate in such a program. This can either be accomplished through the school or parents can make arrangements on their own. Think about the type of person who might support the child’s interest and begin networking through friends and professional acquaintances. As both a teacher and a parent, I have had other adults approach me with their child’s interest, asking if I knew anyone who might help. I can almost always think of either individual people with expertise or organizations the parents might begin contacting. All of the personal experiences I have had with mentorships—elementary through high school—have been very successful.