I have been a mentor with the Department of University Studies at Portland State University since Fall 2008. My teaching and mentoring experience had always been most successful when I worked with very young children and toddlers, so needless to say I was nervous about whether or not I would succeed at mentoring first year college students.
My first year mentoring was a rocky one, I had some difficult confrontations with students and I had developed a strong case of depression. Even with those challenges, I was touched by my students and I learned so much from the experience. My confidence level increased dramatically and I became more comfortable with myself. All of the wonderful benefits I experienced from mentoring have exponentially multiplied since that first year and now I find myself being able to work under pressure quite well, I understand that every group I work with has a different dynamic and should be approached accordingly, and that a combination of teamwork and individuality is how I work best.
This blog tracks my year working with Senior Inquiry. Rather than mentoring first year college students in college, I am in a way mentoring first year college students who are still in their senior year of high school. Where I used to mentor 30 students, I now mentor 300. Rather than one class, I mentor for six high schools each with one to two courses. My goal is to offer as close to the same quality of assistance to these high school students as I have given to the smaller groups I have worked with in the past. Another more personal goal is for me to continue to develop, grow and build on timeless skills such as communication, critical thinking and problem solving. I hope you enjoy reading!
For more information about me, please check out my online portfolio.
