Mentoring starts in the Classroom

While writers and many other public figures have long recognized the influence of a mentor, higher education scholars have been highlighting the positive impact of faculty-mentors on student success (retention and completion) since the 1990s. Such acknowledgement first emerged in the scholarship on high-impact practices, pioneered by the likes of George Kuh. The faculty-student rapport was soon seen as essential to student’s academic and personal success. Indeed, in the 2006  report to the National Symposium on Post-secondary Student Success, scholars state: “student persistence and success are related to the extent to which students interact with supportive adults on campus, both inside and outside the classroom.” (40)

 

Maintaining our own sense of belonging may be challenging enough in our Covid-physically-distant era; how can we possibly foster rapport in our virtual classrooms, let alone connect with students who are not currently on our rosters? Paradoxically enough, the latter might contribute to the first: being curious and wanting to know our students and their current circumstances is especially important right now. Even a few simple questions (How are you? How are you handling school / work and other responsibilities? How can I support you?) provide important context within which to place our students and help us meet them where they are. In the process, we support their academic success as well as their well-being simply because we see them.

 

So as we start the semester, I would encourage us all to consider the following:

  • If you meet synchronously with students, consider using the whole first class period. Make the best of this opportunity to get to know students and allow students to get to know one another: ice-breakers or conversations in pairs or small groups are not as overrated as one may think!
  • Introduce yourself! That goes for the synchronous and the asynchronous classes. As instructors, depending on the identities we hold, it might be challenging to strike the right balance between cultivating respectable distance and remaining approachable. Personally, I invest in my approachability and it has paid dividends in the classroom.
  • Both of the previous first point feed this third: what you do and say on the first day of class sets the tone. Be mindful of setting a welcoming and supportive one, ensuring that students feel heard and recognized (easy to address them by name on zoom!).

 

Mentoring can start in our class-rooms, by establishing a strong rapport with our students such that they will feel safe and able to take the risks necessary for them to challenge themselves and engage in the learning process unequivocally.