Mentoring Moments

Leadership Education (an educational philosophy AND a book title) have done more for me as a parent than any other single source. It has revolutionized how I view education for myself and my children, enhanced the role I take on in my children's education, and it has significantly raised my expectations of human potential in general.

One principle from this philosophy is known as "mentoring." "Mentors, not professors," is based on the principle that a mentor is an individual with an area of expertise or knowledge who is committed to conveying her/his knowledge through inspiring teaching methods, such as:

• starting where the student is,
  
• pacing with the student's interest and understanding, and
  
• promoting exceptional growth by challenging the student in ways that push him/her right up to the edge of comfort and ability.

In contrast, a typical professor/student relationship is more hierarchical in nature where the professor is elevated by his/her expertise and is invested in providing lectures and the student's job is to absorb whatever the professor teaches.


Also, the mentor relationship is generally one on one.

Mentors are first, parents, and then anyone who assumes or is assigned that role.

I have been astounded by this one concept alone. The power and potential in it is phenomenal. I have had loads of professors in my life, K-12, associates program, bachelor's program and masters program, and really only 2-3 "mentors" among all of them. It was those mentors, however, who shaped my self-esteem, character, knowledge and skills, and passions more than all of the other teachers combined. The point: it doesn't take a lot of teachers to educate a child.

As I've read examples of mentoring relationships, I realized that as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we have access to amazing people right within our own little congregations. There is a potential mentor for nearly any general subject one could conceive of, and with a little searching, maybe to a stake level or beyond, likely a mentor on any specialty subject as well.

This introduction is all to explain what happened today. Sikeli (5) has been fascinated with the Prophet Joseph Smith for a while now. He loves to be read the Friend magazine clips on stories from the prophet's life. He dresses up like Joseph and loves to ask questions about him. I decided to provide him with his first, "official" mentoring session outside of our family setting. In our ward, living just around the corner about 3 houses away, is Gracia Jones. She is a Deseret Book author (a few of her books shown above) and the great-great granddaughter of Joseph and Emma Smith. She is also the first baptized descendant of the prophet. A potential mentor? Could it get any better than that?

I sat by her Thursday at a Relief Society function and just asked her if she'd have 3o minutes when Sikeli could come to her house and ask questions about the prophet. She said Friday would be great. When I told Sikeli on Friday morning, what he was going to get to do, he immediately dressed in his "Joseph clothes," and was ready to head out the door. I dropped him off with Sister Jones and when I returned, he had lots of stories to tell me. He had held some household items that had belonged to Emma and held and felt a replica of a death mask of the prophet.

Do you think this is at least as effective as an FHE or primary lesson on the Prophet Joseph Smith? Like I said, this one principle, mentoring, has opened my eyes to unlimited possibilities in my children's education. I have to take the lead, I have to search them out and set them up, I have to expose my children, but then, I just sit back and watch.

GET THE BOOK! Leadership Education - by Oliver DeMille

Naivalu parenting motto: We are NOT raising children, we're raising leaders.