MENTOR

Mentoring at Arise Classical Academy

Arise Classical Academy, like any other educational institution, has a clear and distinct mission—a mission that sets it apart from other schools and gives it its character. This mission pervades every aspect of the School’s life: academic, athletic, and spiritual. The administration, the faculty and staff, and the School’s families work together in making this mission a reality for each student. The mission is accomplished through a rigorous academic program, community style education, and a dedicated faculty and staff. What makes it all come together in the life of each student is the Mentoring Program.

Mentoring seeks to assist parents in the intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual education of their sons. Jacques Maritain, a philosopher of the Aristotelian tradition, once said in a lecture given at Yale University, “The prime goal of education is the conquest of internal and spiritual freedom by the individual person, or, in other words, his liberation through knowledge and wisdom, good will, and love.” (Education at the Crossroads, p. 11). In a sense, Mentoring seeks precisely that. It brings together “knowledge and wisdom, good will, and love”—all the different aspects of the School’s programs—academic, spiritual, extracurricular—into one single conversation. In so doing, mentoring helps each student reach his full potential both in his academic endeavors and in his personal formation as a man.

The mentoring effort is reinforced and made complete when the mentor works hand in hand with the student’s parents. Cooperation between parents and mentor is what makes the mentoring program successful. This relationship is necessary because the parents are the primary educators of their children and are the ones who know them best. The mentor, therefore, must work in tandem with the parents in a partnership for the good. Another component of the mentoring program is the interest and empathy the mentor shows for his mentee. The mentor looks out for his mentee. This is the most basic of all his duties. “How is he doing in class? What do his teachers say about his academic work? Is he interacting well with his peers?” The mentor thinks about each mentee. “What are his talents and weaknesses? What could he do with his gifts? How should he be developing academically?”

After observing his student and thinking about him, the mentor may point out things that the student may not realize about himself. A student may be reminded of the importance of using his time well on school nights. A second suggestion may be that it’s better to study certain subjects first and take care of others later. Another suggestion could be that he needs to get his binder in order. Counsel may be tailored to the boy’s personal struggle for virtue and excellence.

Mentors meet with their students often. Regular communication fosters fruitful conversation, goal setting, encouragement, support, and accountability. The mentor presents the mission of the School to each student so he may benefit from every opportunity the School offers.

Mentoring for parents

At Arise Classical Academy, we believe that parents are the primary educators of their children. The education of a person is not simply or exclusively the teaching of a series of facts and numbers—that’s only a limited part of what an education entails. The education of a person in its deepest sense is how he knows himself and the world around him; how he grows in virtue; and how he, ultimately, reaches his full potential. Jacques Maritain also said that the aim of education, “is to guide man in the evolving dynamism through which he shapes himself as a human person— armed with knowledge, strength of judgment, and moral virtues—while at the same time conveying to him the spiritual heritage of the nation and the civilization in which he is involved” (Education at the Crossroads, p. 10). In the full sense of the word education, it is obvious that the role of parents is crucial, and the role of the mentor, although important, only secondary.

The mentor’s secondary role complements the parents’ own because the mentor gets to know the boys in a different context: the school environment. There the mentor sees his mentee interact with his peers and with his teachers. He will see the student in and outside the classroom. The mentor also will have regular conversations with the mentee. These conversations give the mentor a great opportunity to know his mentee well. “What are his talents? What are his shortcomings? What motivates him and discourages him? How does he relate with his parents and siblings?”

It is the partnership between the mentor and the parents that makes mentorship successful. The mentee should be able to recognize that the message he hears at home is similar to the one he hears from his mentor. The parents and the mentor work in a partnership for the good. It is important, however, for the mentor to be aware of any disciplinary issue his mentee may have, for it may be a great occasion for giving some helpful advice.

Besides disciplinary issues, mentors can rely on administrators and teachers, especially the Heads of Schools, with issues having to do with course scheduling and course requirements. This is particularly true for upper classmen as they begin to have more options, or they want to add or drop a class. The mentor may help his mentee and the Head of School termine what course selection would be best for him (of course, parents have the crucial and final voice).
The purpose of the mentor/parent conference is to unite the efforts of the parents and the School in forming the mentee. The conference seeks to put parents and mentor “on the same page” regarding the academic and personal development of the mentee. It’s a friendly conversation in which parents and mentor, who mutually want what’s best for the student, to find ways to help him reach his potential.

Mentoring for students

Number and Duration of Meetings:
The mentor meets with each mentee at least once a month. The meeting is one-on-one where the mentor can give his full attention to the mentee. Accidental conversations in the hallway, quick checkups, group meals, sideline chit-chat, etc., although encouraged and quite effective some times, do not take the place of a mentorship meeting. Although a meeting may be longer, especially at the beginning of the year, 15 minutes will quite often be sufficient.

Nature and Scope of Advice Given
Mentorship seeks to help each boy in the areas suggested in the mission of the School: intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual. But before explaining each area in detail, there are some general considerations that are worth discussing. The conversation between the mentor and the mentee should have a relaxed tone — an exchange among friends. It should have the tenor of a friendship of an older brother with a younger one, or a father with a son. There are certain subjects that should be brought up regularly that the mentor should be familiar with:
•School Work
•Grades
•Reasons for good/bad grades
•Study habits
•Anticipating possible problems
•Reading for pleasure
•Temperament and Personality
•General temperament: extrovert, introvert, calm, nervous, etc.
•Strengths and Weaknesses
•Self-knowledge
•Interests/hobbies
•Friendships
•Human refinement: language/dress/personal grooming
•Family Life
•Charity to parents and siblings
•Use of time
•Obedience to parents
•Responsibilities at home: chores; spirit of service; example to younger siblings
•Moral Formation and Character
•Learning to choose the good
•Seeking truth
•Use of technology
•Respect for women: mothers, sisters, friends
•Self-dominion
•Courage to do and say the right thing
•Life of Faith
•Taking advantage of the spiritual activities at School
•Serving others
•Learning to pray
•Aspirations: What is the mentee looking forward to?
•Worries and Concerns

The Mentor/Mentee Conversation
The mentor should always make the mentor/mentee conversations an occasion for the mentee to feel he is understood. It’s not the time for reprimands or guilt trips, but quite the opposite. The mentor tries to create an environment where the young person opens up because he feels he is being heard. This, of course, is particularly important for older students as they are trying to exert their own personalities. The mentee should know from the beginning that this conversation is not a time to complain about teachers or his parents. The mentor will listen and help the boy understand why his parents want this or that or why that teacher gave that assignment.