Importance of Mentors

1) The video points out that “We’re not born with instructions for how to do what we want.” What does this mean to you? What are some ways you learn how to do things that are important to you?

2) In the video, listeners learn that “mentors can be part of your life from an early age.” Think about a goal you had as a younger child. Who is someone who helped you reach that goal? What are some ways this person helped you?

3) The video explains that mentors are people who can help you meet your goals. Goals can be short-term (something you want to achieve soon) or long-term (something that will take a year or longer to achieve). Can you name three short-term goals (like getting at least a B on your science project) that can help you reach a long-term goal (such as going to/graduating from college)?

4) The video points out that a mentor can “hold you accountable” for meeting your goals. This means that a mentor helps you take responsibility for your success, even when things seem tough. Look at the goals you identified in question #3. What is one challenge you might face in achieving one of your short-term goals? What do you think a mentor might say to help you stay motivated? What is something you can tell yourself to stay motivated?

5) The video points out that a mentor can be someone in your family or a person you meet through your community. What are some actions you can take to find a mentor who has experience in a career you’re interested in?

6) When thinking about finding a mentor, a speaker in the video suggests making a list of people who inspire you. Can you name four people who inspire you? Why do each of them inspire you?

7) Sometimes the person who you ask to be a mentor won’t be able to say “yes.” Imagine this happens to your friend. She was really hoping a software developer who lives in your community could be her mentor. Thinking about what you learned in the video, what would you say to your friend to help her find a mentor?

8) “Don’t be afraid to ask!” A speaker in the video gives this advice. Sometimes it helps to practice what you’re going to say. What would you say to someone who you are asking to mentor you? What might that person say to you?

Coming out in life, we’re not born with instructions on how to do what we want to do, and it’s really only through observation that we as humans learn the world around us. Mentors to me are so important and I actively seek them out.

Mentors have been extremely important for me, not only their great support network, but their friends. So some people say, “What is a mentor?” For me, a mentor is someone who is a little bit older than you, but who has also some experience. They can answer questions for you.

Mentors can be part of your life from a very early age. They can be members of your family, people you meet through your community, someone who knows a little bit about the career that you would like to gain access to, or even if they don’t know anything about that particular career, someone who knows you and who can hear your goals and help you meet them and hold you accountable.

Literally putting a target list of different people who inspire you and reaching out to them. Everyone wants to help you grow and succeed. So isolate who those mentors could be. And don’t be afraid to ask.

Don’t worry that you may get to know, because sometimes the people that you want to mentor you, they probably have hundreds of other people asking. So what you can ask is if you don’t have the time to be a mentor, could you recommend someone else? So that always works also. But the best way is to be direct and to ask the people that you want to mentor you. And you may be pleasantly surprised when they say yes.

Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a lively discussion about the importance of mentors.

We’re not born with instructions on how to do what we want. That’s where the importance of mentors come in. Find out who mentors are and how they can help you achieve your dreams!

Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the “Importance of Mentors” video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.

Use Empowerment Activities as a fun way to reinforce the video topic and build community with your students.

• Mentor Moodboard

Fun Page Activity: The mini-planner on this page can help you stay on track to reach three goals for the week (and develop strategies to go after even bigger goals!).