Home                     

 

 
E-mentors are adults from the community who share their expertise with students and teachers through e-mail and web-based forums. As students work on a classroom project, they often need information or resources beyond their text books. Through e-mentoring they can connect with professionals who are knowledgeable in the field they are studying. Mentors become those resources who can answer questions, suggest ideas, and critique student work.

The time requirements are minimal and do not require the mentors to leave their workplace. Using e-mail and forums, mentors can respond to student correspondence at a time and place that is convenient for them.

To see how other e-mentors have worked with students, check Projects. 

BENEFITS | EXPECTATIONS | TIPS | TROUBLESHOOTING | JOIN

Benefits of Being an E-mentor

  • Offers a way to be involved with K-12 education without leaving the workplace.
  • Involves a minimal time commitment by employees.
  • Offers the ability to communicate through e-mail at times personally convenient to you.
  • Offers an opportunity to create awareness about your company and career.
  • Develops a better understanding and appreciation of education and work-place needs.
  • Fosters a sense of community for the support of K-12 education

back to top

Expectations of E-mentors

  • An e-mentor should have access to e-mail, Internet and the World Wide Web.

  • An e-mentor will be matched with a project in which he or she has some degree of experience and interest that could benefit the students.

  • Although there is no way to quantify exact time commitments it is estimated that this process will take from 15 min. to 1 hour per week.

  • E-mentors will be expected to check their e-mail or discussion forums for questions posed by students and teachers at least every other day. Responses should be made within 48 hours.

  • E-mentoring can be most effective if it is accompanied by some face-to-face meetings. It is suggested that mentors visit a selected class or host a class at their site at some time during the project duration.

  • It is very critical that mentors place importance on the social aspect of e-mentoring relationships. Being courteous, timely, respectful, sensitive, are just as important if not more so in e-mentor relationships than in face-to-face relationships.

  • For privacy and security issues, mentors are only to contact students through the assigned e-mail address. They are not to communicate with students through any individual or personal addresses. Nor or students permitted to e-mail their mentors from personal e-mail addresses.

back to top

Tips for E-mentors

Where to begin

Your students will send you the first e-mail, introducing themselves and the project they are studying. A good beginning for mentors is to reply to their message with information about themselves. This introductory message should include information about your career, interests and areas of expertise. An inviting message, welcoming questions and discussion will start things off.

It is good idea to keep initial communications brief. Use this time to assess students' ability to communicate via e-mail. Try to avoid the risk of overwhelming students in the beginning with too many questions or very long messages. Phrase your questions clearly. Try to ask open-ended questions. That is, try to avoid questions that can simply be answered yes or no.

Developing a plan of action

The teacher should communicate to you and the students his or her expectations for the mentoring relationship and how the relationship will relate to what is going on in school. If this information is not forthcoming, definitely ask the teacher for an explanation of his or her integration plans. Both you and the students should have a clear idea of what the teacher has in mind.

Correcting student mistakes

While it is a goal of this program to have students communicate professionally via e-mail, they may not come to you at that level at the beginning of the relationship. As stated earlier, it is advisable to first build a trusting relationship with your students. To do so will allow your students to take your future feedback on their communication and/or academic performance in the spirit with which it will be intended.

When beginning to correct mistakes it is a good idea to start slow and focus on one area or aspect while ignoring others for the time being. If at all possible, try to use a praise-critique-praise format of feedback. Whenever possible, try to point out positive examples in the students communication or work that reflect what you want to see along with any critical feedback.

back to top

Troubleshooting

Teachers are well aware of how valuable your time is. Please do not hesitate to communicate with the teacher if you have concerns, frustrations, or troubles communicating with your students. If the problem cannot be resolved via that channel, you should contact the Silicon Prairie facilitator.

It is also advisable to maintain copies of all communication related to this program. Such a record will be very useful for future communications and resolving any problems that arise.

back to top

Contact Linda Kostner via e-mail or by phone at (913) 362-0696
 
HOME | MENTORS | TEACHERS | STUDENTS | PROJECTS
FAQ | JOIN | SCHOOL STUFF | OTHER STUFF

©1999 Silicon Prairie Technology Assn.
A Chain Linx Project, design by Davy Jones' Locker