Becoming a More Effective Mentor
CAMS wants mentors and protégés to develop mutually rewarding relationships and offers help in a number of ways to ensure their success.
Suggested activities
Regular, low-pressure interactions are among the best ways to build a lasting friendship. The following activities have proven
effective for many mentor-protégé teams, helping them become better-acquainted and more comfortable with each other.
Getting to Know Each Other
- Meet your protégé's parents.
- Talk about your families.
- Set your mentoring goals or learning plan together.
- Just "hang out" and talk about life.
- Talk about friendships.
- Talk about personal values.
- Talk about the future.
- Play sports together (e.g. tennis, basketball).
Academic Activities
- Talk about CAMS and the curriculum.
- Talk about grades and academic goals.
- Review homework.
- Sit in on some classes.
- Help develop specific skills.
- Discuss subjects or introduce new information.
- Discuss science fair projects.
- Go to the library or conduct Internet research together.
- Talk about computers and computer skills.
- Work on time management and planning skills.
- Listen to and critique a student's presentation.
- Help your protégé prepare for the SAT.
Career-Related Activities
- Talk about your career and career path.
- Visit some professional workplaces (with parents).
- Talk about your first job (what you liked, disliked).
- Talk about different careers and career paths.
- Talk about what it takes to get ahead.
- Work on a resume together.
- Do a practice or "mock" job interview.
- Write "thank you" notes after an interview for an internship.
- Talk about professionalism (dress, communication, etc.)
- Talk about summer jobs or internships.
- Talk about networking.
- Talk about balancing work and life.
College Selection Activities
- Talk about college and choosing a college.
- Discuss the differences in college environments (public vs. private, small vs. large, etc.).
- Research colleges together.
- Visit a college (with parents).
- Work on college applications and essays together.
- Explore financial aid and scholarship options.
- Talk about balancing a budget.
- Discuss college life and experiences.
Resources for Mentors and Protégés
The mentor program has developed a number of helpful resource materials for mentors and protégés. These have been compiled into two publications: the Mentor Handbook and the Protégé Workbook. If you do not have these, please request one from the Mentor
Office.
The mentor program also maintains a library of reference materials and videos that mentors and protégés may check out. A
variety of materials are available, including the following:
- Goal-setting information
- How to choose a college
- Diversity and multicultural appreciation materials
- Occupational handbooks
- Resume writing guides
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