One of the most critical steps in becoming a great learner – or for that matter even making significant progress on your path – is to accept and embrace the need for a mentor. This step is difficult for many learners, for various reasons. We value our independence. We want the freedom to choose different teachers, or learning paths, at any time. Many of us simply do not want to admit that we need help.
Nevertheless if we observe those who have excelled in any field – artistic, scientific, athletic or spiritual, to name a few – without exception they have all relied on a highly skilled guide, teacher, coach or mentor.
Ideally this coach or mentor is somebody you can access in person, or at least via phone. It may be that you can only access this guide through books, audio or video recordings. Although not ideal the second option is preferable to having no guide at all.
Paraphrasing Dr. Jacqueline P. Leighton of the University of Alberta:
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Mentorship is critically important in helping ensure that students develop into excellent learners. These can be mentors, role models or simply teachers. Whatever you call them, they directly help students understand what they need to do to achieve a higher level of learning and performance. Ivan Galamian, famous violin teacher, made the following statement about mentors:
Mentors, coaches, teachers or guides must be more knowledgeable about the student’s field of study than the student. Mentors must be able to help the student achieve a greater level of learning and performance by providing accurate and detailed feedback. The feedback must be specific about the ways in which the students can improve his or her performance. Many extraordinary minds recollect the decisive role mentors had in their development of expertise. Not only do mentors teach directly and help students reduce the gap between their current level of performance and their desired level of performance, but they also inspire, motivate, and support.
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So what should we look for in a mentor, guide, teacher or coach? Here are a few characteristics of what I would consider the ideal teacher or guide in any field. He or she is:
Next I’ll explore another of the steps to becoming a great learner: developing respect for the teacher, and for the materials.
Nevertheless if we observe those who have excelled in any field – artistic, scientific, athletic or spiritual, to name a few – without exception they have all relied on a highly skilled guide, teacher, coach or mentor.
Ideally this coach or mentor is somebody you can access in person, or at least via phone. It may be that you can only access this guide through books, audio or video recordings. Although not ideal the second option is preferable to having no guide at all.
Paraphrasing Dr. Jacqueline P. Leighton of the University of Alberta:
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Mentorship is critically important in helping ensure that students develop into excellent learners. These can be mentors, role models or simply teachers. Whatever you call them, they directly help students understand what they need to do to achieve a higher level of learning and performance. Ivan Galamian, famous violin teacher, made the following statement about mentors:
“If we analyze the development of the well-known artist, we see that in almost every case the success of their entire career was dependent upon the quality of their practicing. In practically each case, the practicing was constantly supervised either by a teacher or an assistant to the teacher…”
Mentors, coaches, teachers or guides must be more knowledgeable about the student’s field of study than the student. Mentors must be able to help the student achieve a greater level of learning and performance by providing accurate and detailed feedback. The feedback must be specific about the ways in which the students can improve his or her performance. Many extraordinary minds recollect the decisive role mentors had in their development of expertise. Not only do mentors teach directly and help students reduce the gap between their current level of performance and their desired level of performance, but they also inspire, motivate, and support.
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So what should we look for in a mentor, guide, teacher or coach? Here are a few characteristics of what I would consider the ideal teacher or guide in any field. He or she is:
- Delighted to be teaching, mentoring or coaching
- Wise, calm, focused and disciplined
- Very skilled in providing instructions
- Sincerely interested in benefiting you, and others
- Very knowledgeable in your chosen field of study, and more knowledgeable than you
Next I’ll explore another of the steps to becoming a great learner: developing respect for the teacher, and for the materials.
-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.
© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.
© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.
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