Mentoring Program

Meant to Mentor

What are the Qualities of an Effective Mentor?

  • Be a friend.
  • Have realistic goals and expectations.
  • Have fun together.
  • Give your mentee voice and choice in deciding on activities.
  • Be positive.
  • Let your mentee have much of the control over what the two of you talk about—and how you talk about it.
  • Listen.
  • Respect the trust your mentee places in you.
  • Remember that you are responsible for building the relationship.
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Mentoring Documents

Here are a few activities that Mentors and Mentees can do together:

  • Go with your mentee to the school's library or media center and check out the headlines of the latest newspapers from around the country.
  • Ask how they are doing in school.
  • Research and talk about famous people who used their abilities to get ahead.
  • Make greeting, get-well, or holiday cards to give to other people.
  • Bring a board game.
  • Look at a map and talk about places you would like to visit.
  • Set personal goals.
  • Play sports in the gymnasium. (If school allows)
  • Work on the computer or an iPad in the media center.
  • Write stories together.
  • Do a jigsaw puzzle.
  • Build a model.
  • Bring in a photo album, and share pictures of your family, house, and pets.
  • Discuss favorite hobbies.
  • Read the same book and talk about your favorite parts.
  • Write a letter to a former teacher, a cousin or relative in another community, an old friend, the editor of a local newspaper, etc.
  • Ask the questions for the driver's license test.
  • Listen, listen, listen.
  • Ask about a book they’re reading. “Is this book for school or pleasure reading?” . . . “Why did you choose it?” . . . “Would you recommend it?” . . . “What’s your favorite book?”
  • Tell them about something you’re reading, what you like about it, and what you don’t.
  • Read a good book together. Take a trip to the library, and pick out one to share. Maybe read every other chapter out loud to each other.
  • Ask to read a report or story they’ve recently written or a drawing they’ve done. Make positive comments, mention at least one thing you learned from it, and ask questions related to the material.
  • Find out when their birthdays are, and send birthday cards. Enclose a home-made coupon for a mentor lunch get-together.