Motivate, MENTOR, and Inspire... Sounds Great but what does it mean?

Chief Pascoe says the the inherent role of upperclassmen cadets is to motivate, mentor, and inspire. Let us take a look at the concept of mentoring...being a mentor to other cadets.

What does the word mentor mean?  What is mentorship? 

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. The mentor may be older or younger than the person being mentored, but she or he must have a certain area of expertise. It is a learning and development partnership between someone with vast experience and someone who wants to learn.^[1] Mentorship experience and relationship structure affect the "amount of psychosocial support, career guidance, role modeling, and communication that occurs in the mentoring relationships in which the protégés and mentors engaged."

Lets take a look at the concept of peer mentoring in high school:

Here is another look:

Do not confuse peer mentoring with peer mediation. Mediation is a skill a mentor will use with a mentee and others, but it is usually focused on a disagreement or conflict resolution. 

Let us take a look at how mentoring can have an impact on a particular area of concern: Teen Suicide .  (Click on the hyper link link in the word to watch a video.)

The focus of this class is not on teen suicide but merely using an example of how peer mentoring can have a positive impact on a serious topic like this. 

Class Activity:

Step One: Form into small groups and as a group discuss and develop some areas that Cadets can form into peer mentoring relationships. Have one person in each group be the leaders and take notes and turn them into the teacher

Step Two: Come back together as a class and discuss and share responses as a larger group on examples of how a cadet can establish a mentoring relationship and what are the benefits of doing so?

Here is a picture of a former cadet overseas in Spain studying abroad...mentoring is a lifelong skill once you learn it.