Be Encouraged ( mentoring works! )
“Recently, a student had been going through some challenges and struggling in a number of ways, feeling overwhelmed by life and her classes. We wondered: could she afford to miss class time to meet with her mentor? The teacher’s response: “ She needs mentoring more than she needs my class! ” Mentors help meet social and emotional needs for our students.”
-from our BTO Mentor Coordinator
Be Affirmed
Empower with Affirmation
” You’re not good enough… ”
” Why can’t you be more like… ”
” Nobody cares… “
Students are often bombarded with negative messages like these from their peers, adults, and even themselves. And, these messages shape how they view themselves and the world around them. As mentors, we have the opportunity to help change a student’s perspective by giving them regular emotional support or encouragement. This kind of affirmation can be the difference between a student feeling hopeless in their circumstances to feeling hopeful in spite of their circumstances. During the month of February, we will be sharing three different ways that you can empower your student with affirmation.
-Jason Matthews, BTO Mentor Coach