Lee,
What are one or two things you do intentionally to bring what you learned from your mentors into your classroom?
Jeffrey Schillinger
My first year out of Accounting school I had a very kind, and gentle Controller. He always encouraged me and never made me feel badly about my mistakes (and their were many). I will always appreciate his approach to Mentoring me and I've tried to Model my own behavior based on his.....
Robert,
What are some of the specific things you do when engage with students to position yourself as a potential mentor to them?
Jeffrey Schillinger
One of my biggest mentors happened to be when I was going through school for my AA and 3 months before finishing my degree my mother had passed away. I remember feeling like quitting and not being able to handle the pressure and all of the change. My instructor was extremely supportive and even made exceptions to classwork due, although still requiring it to be completed, she gave me extra time and individualized attention to help me get through. Without her support I don't know if I would have followed through at that time.
I had several very caring and dedicated instructors in college who gave me the desire to join them one day. I went into my field of study after graduation and then came back to be an instructor for the school I graduated from about 8 years later. During my 8 years in the field, I had a very influential office manager who always seemed to listen, carefully analyze the information and give helpful feedback and solutions to everyone. She was the role model that helped me to learn what it takes to be a manager, which is what I am now, still at the school I graduated from 10 years ago.
Tenille,
Thanks for sharing this post. Returning faculty who have been students as well as professionals in the feel often are able to "reach" students through being a similar other.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I worked with a women when I first started teaching that really help get my barring, she truly keep me from quitting many times, and taught me what effect I can have on others
Rebecca,
Wahat are one of two specific things she did to help you get yout barring?
Jeffrey Schillinger
My mentors have taught me to work hard, play hard, have fun, and rest! This gives me motivation and direction in both my personal and professional lives. I know it is hard work being a student. Acknowledging that and allowing space to rest is important. Focusing solely on the work can lead to burnout. Rest gives balance to all that energy output and allows for the ability to persist through challenging times and be successful in what you are working towards.
My mentor is a family friend that I have known all my life. A professional chef he embraces teaching new employees and making sure they are set down the right path. While not a professional educator he has inspired me to care about the outcomes of every student as it is through our people that we can measure our own success.
One of my mentors was a teacher I had in College a few years ago. His style of teaching was to not only tell you the information but show you and always relate what he was teaching to real world situations. Most of the class would complain about how much work/homework was involved but by graduation he had taught us that we were capable of accomplishing more than what we thought possible. To this day when I get overwhelmed I think back to his class and still accomplish more then I think is possible each day.
Todd,
You are lucky to have had this type of inspiring teacher in your life. Manny adult learners need the "real world" connection in order have the motivation to learn. They feel too busy to learn things for learning's sake.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I had one mentor when I was going through massage school who helped "mold" me as a therapist who had been in the industry for 30+ years. Without her encouragement and guidance, I would not have completed my program.
Again, another mentor helped me after I was in the field of massage education. She helped me in regards to dealing with some of our more challenging students. She told me that the more challenging students are here to be healed, they just don't know it yet. To this day, when things are difficult or challenging, I remember what she said and it helps put things in perspective for me.
When I first began my career in the Financial Aid, I had the priviledge to work under a Financial Aid Director that showed me the foundation of everything I know today. Not only did she show me the foundation she also showed me that it's not just entering numbers and excel sheets, its getting to know the student and truly helping the student. I was very lucky to work under such a great leader.
Mentors are all around us! Coworkers who carry on amazingly, in spite of personal challenges that we have seen knock others off course. I can think of a teacher that triggered the competitive part of my personality. My competitiveness (even directly with him) led me to strive harder to master the subject. I can remember a boss who, upon recognizing a lack of motivation on my part, took the time to do a major project with me.
Andrea,
What were some of the specific behaviors of you mentors that led you to selecting each of them as your mentor?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Rene,
What were one or two of your mentor's specific behaviors that you have adopted in dealing with your students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Mr. Schillinger,
Great question!
I first entered the education field 5 years ago as an admissions representative. After working 9 months for one organization, I came to work for my current employer. The Campus President went out of her way to “lead by walking aroundâ€. She would visit with all staff members and find out about them and their goals. She told me that she could see me being a Campus President one day. Since that time I have completed my Masters in Administration with an emphasis in Leadership and have been both a Director of Admission and Director of Student Operations. My next position will be Campus President. While I like to think I have a lot of personal drive, it did make a difference to have another person say they believe in you and that you can do great things.
I know use that lesson I learned to help encourage others to strive to accomplish their goals. I get to be the first one to shake the hands of our graduates and they often include me in pictures with their family. Lifting others up and helping them with their vision has been very rewarding.
I had rough school years for been difference race in a different country. Every teachers I had gave me very common and general support by always ending the talk with "It will be ok" I was not ok at all. But only one teacher went out of his way to really get to what I have to work, including mistakes I was making, on and how, by leaning to love myself and see what are my strength. He also helped me set up goal and how to reach them.
This definitely helped me really learn and see my students struggle and find solution TOGETHER with them to reach their goal. Including getting better grades, to graduation to making it in the industry. I am very honest with them regards to their weaknesses but I always go back to what they are great on.
Tomoko,
You were fortunate to have a teacher who took and interest in you and, more importantly, took action to support you.
Jeffrey Schillinger
