Be Encouraged ( mentoring works! )
“A new student has been meeting with his mentor since October. At the beginning of the school year he seemed very depressed and unhappy—frequently late for school and complaining of not feeling well. Now, a couple of months later he seems more settled and doing better. His developing friendship with his mentor gives him something to look forward to , he has someone to talk with, and seems to feel more confident.”
-from our BTO Mentor Coordinator
Be Affirmed
Non-verbal Affirmation
Believe it or not, we can affirm students without even saying a word . Our body language (even our posture) can communicate how much we care about them. When you spend time with your student, what do they see? Do they see a posture of judgement? Do they see someone who is too busy for them? Or, do they see someone who sees them and is willing to take the time to come alongside them and listen? The truth is students can tell if we care about them or not even before we say a word to them.
Check back next Monday for how you can affirm your student with your words.
-Jason Matthews, BTO Mentor Coach