LIFE | RELATIONSHIPS
There’s No True Success Without A Good Mentor
Here’s How to Recognize One and Become One
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Sign Me Up
Wait, what does that flyer say?
Free Master’s Program in Bilingual Special Education?
Oh please. There must be a catch. Because if not. Sign me up!
I signed up. I did everything that I needed to do. And congratulations! I got accepted into the program.
And then I met her. Wonder woman.
The woman behind the grant. The woman responsible for building the program. For selecting the students. For deciding our ultimate fate.
She seemed invincible. All-powerful. All-knowing. She had me running to the dictionary with every other word that she uttered. Vocabulary — on point.
But once I started to listen, to really pay attention. I couldn’t help but notice her passion. Catch on to her enthusiasm.
Her expectations were clear. And the look on her face said, “I mean every word.”
We were expected to give this our all. We were expected to put our learning to good use. We were expected to use our knowledge to provide the very best education possible to the population that we served. No matter what.
The Best Mentors Are Enthusiastic About Their Field
She was excited, optimistic, and driven. And pretty soon, we were too.
The best mentors are optimistic. The best mentors are enthusiastic. The best mentors do the work of a mentor before they ever get the title.
They are magnetic. They are passionate. And their passion is contagious. There’s something about them that says, “Come with me. I’ll take you there. And your life will never be the same.” And mesmerized, we follow.
That’s what I did. I followed.
The Book Deal
Wait what? She’s writing a book? How can she do that when she’s teaching two of our classes this semester?
And she still has time to write comments ALL over my papers?
That’s nuts! You can fill 100 buckets with all that knowledge. I have no idea how she does it.
