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Mentorship Makes a Difference


Last month culminated momentously in good and bad ways. Many teachers have been focusing on the mental health and well being of their students during remote learning, and we are encouraged to do the same for ourselves. Many articles have come out urging teachers to develop a self care routine even before COVID-19 forced us into emergency learn at home mode. We never went looking to find a connection between mentorship and mental well-being, but it is evident from work before remote learning took hold that the connection and support of a mentor, especially at this time, makes a difference for educators. I have argued that mentorship is something that should accompany educators on every part of their professional journey because mentorship makes a difference. No matter how current events and contexts have impacted you, mentorship can help.

Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month, and I was happy to be part of the #SameHere initiative with Belouga. When the leadership team at The Mentoree was invited speak about Mentorship for Well Being as part of Belouga's schedule of events, we were able to share more about why mentorship can do many things to positively impact educators, and we also got to speak specifically how mentorship supports teacher well-being. We need connection and time for reflection to get through the challenges of our profession, and the oxygen mask that having a mentorship relationship can be is often the breath of fresh air one needs to solve problems, cope with challenges and gain perspective.

Last week, I spoke about how mentorship changed my life. When the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board asked me to be the keynote for their virtual NTIP celebration, I started thinking about my most impactful mentors. When they agreed that I could speak about the role of mentorship in my life to the mentors and mentees going through the New Teacher Induction Program in HWDSB, I felt a deeper sense of purpose because I was going to be honouring some of the people who have changed my life through mentorship. Writing the keynote was reflective, and I called the people about whom I was writing to thank them, once again, for all they contributed to my personal and professional growth. I still see two of the women who have become my friends by I will always consider my mentors, so I called them to share what i was writing. They were both so happy to know their impact, as I had always told them how much they made a difference in my life, but I had never shared why until now. I was also invited to speak to Dr. Patricia Briscoe's Master's class at Niagara University, and I shared why everyone should have a mentor in place for when they need it.Mentorship is not about building someone in your image. Instead, it's about fostering people from where they are.

When I invited my friend Zoe Share to OnEdMentors a few weeks ago, it was with the goal of supporting teachers, consultants, authors and others in the education space. I know how difficult social media marketing can be, and it's hard to effectively promote your offerings or services without it. The episode was amazing, and having a panel of Rob Dunlop, author of STRIVE: for Happiness in Education, Janelle MacLaughlin, independent educational consultant at Innovative Education Solutions, and Evin Schwartz, Founder and CEO of Belouga, there to ask questions about their work in education really rounded out the conversation. It was also helpful to have asked for engagement on Twitter before hand as we had a few questions to start the conversation. Many educators could benefit from Zoe's insights on social media marketing and core values.

I love surprises, so when Zoe suddenly offered her services to "someone" on the show, we spoke about it after we went off air. Zoe is a giving person and inspiring innovator. Even after we were colleagues, we became friends. You can learn more about her through her guest appearance on The Personal Playlist Podcast. We are excited that Zoe will be leading a team from The Mentoree through her Core Values Workshop and we are working on the final details for a contest we are officially launching on Thursday for an individual in education to win the same workshop to help them develop a sense of their core values to improve their ability to communicate what they do. You can learn more about Get Mentored to the Core on our website. We are excited for our team and for a lucky winner to benefit from Zoe's mentorship through this workshop.

After George Floyds tragic death at the hands of a police officer tasked to serve and protect last Monday, anger erupted across the US in the form of protests and riots. Protest rallies against anti-black and Indigenous racism brought thousands across Canada to join the rallying call against systemic injustice. Educators have to be talking about this, and it requires deep understanding and pushing white educators to face their privilege and teach equity. I have been doing this work for a while, empowered to deepen my learning when I was given the role of equity lead at my school. I facilitated the inaugural book study for Learning Forward Ontario on How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibrahim X Kendi, and I participated in the book study of The Skin We're In by Desmond Cole led by Colinda Clyne as part fo the Anti Racist Educator Reads among other sources of thinking and growth. Still, I need mentorship to help me connect with my students about this current event in thoughtful and meaningful ways. The OnEdMentors Equity Panel podcast that culminated the first book study is one I go back to often. I posted the message below from Corenelius Minor's book We Got This because the mentorship I am seeking right now is to help me, in my classroom, do the work I believe we must be doing to disrupt the racism, sexism, ableism ,and classism in education, not for one lesson but for real change. I will be attending a virtual workshop on the topic today through my board, and we will be offering a Conversation to Build Capacity led by Rashmee Karnad-Jani soon, to create a safe space to listen and learn from each other. More on that mentorship opportunity to come.

Whether one is dealing with difficult topics or simple pedagogy, mentorship has been a differentiating factor in my life. Through our work at The Mentoree, I dream to help educators see that mentorship is something from which they can benefit at any and every stage of their career. It is through mentorship that I learned so much about teaching and learning, and it is through mentorship that any major shift in my teaching practice or even my and thinking has transpired. In order to support our learning and our learners, we need support. As Jennifer Abrams wrote in Swimming in the Deep End, "In order to move to the work of the school, we must consider the needs of those who work within it." My needs to grow as an educator and to support my students ethically and equitably requires the personalized learning experiences that mentorship brings. The mentors that I have had in my life have shaped my practice, challenged my thinking and, ultimately, improved my ability to reach and teach my learners. I wouldn't have made it to where I am or become who I am without them. Rolland Chidiac just wrote, and I agree, "Mentorship is a wonderful two way street of learning. It has always been [a] valuable tool, [and] more so in tough times."


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