It’s the last week of school for our mentees and that means it’s almost SUMMER! Be sure to check-in with your mentee this week about how moving from school to summer has them feeling. For some, this is a very exciting time and, for others, it’s a stressful time. Both feelings are OK but need to be approached in different ways. Remember to reach out to your coach if you need any support in supporting your mentee!
Don’t forget to follow us and tag us on social media! Look for IntentionalMentoringMadison on FB, Instagram and Twitter!
Challenge for the week:
For June, the challenges will center around the theme of Embrace Diversity. This week’s challenge is to define diversity. What does your mentee think diversity means? When they think about diversity, what comes to mind? Is their perception accurate or limited? See what they know and then open their mind to more possibilities. How can expanding your mentee’s definition of diversity help them to further embrace diversity? Last week I suggested several different ways to expose your mentee to diversity, perhaps you could use one of these options this week to enhance your discussion. The list from last week was: playing at a park or walking through a neighborhood unlike their own, reading a book or watching a movie about children/people who have a different cultural background than them, or looking for a cultural event going on around the city (perhaps it’s happening virtually!)
BONUS CHALLENGE: We can’t let any more time pass without doing the work to fight for social justice. This month’s bonus challenge is to begin or continue the work in yourself. I don’t know where each of you are in your journey or what you need to hear, but I do know that we are all works in progress with room to grow. Here are several resources to help you on your journey. Anti-Racist Resources
TIP of the WEEK: Relationships take time. If you’re new to mentoring or you’ve been with your mentee for a few months, know that it’s okay if you don’t feel like your relationship is very deep yet. Before you judge yourself and your ability to connect with your mentee ask yourself some questions. 1.) How open and vulnerable have you been with your mentee? Don’t expect them to do what you haven’t modeled yourself. 2.) What do you know about your mentee’s past? Could they have been through (or are currently going through) experiences that make it hard for them to trust adults? 3.) What is your goal? If you’re trying to go deeper with your mentee so that you can figure out their “issue” and “fix” them, then you’re going to need to talk to your coach about setting a new goal. If you’re wanting to go deeper so that you can understand them, support them and grow in relationship together, then keep listening, keep showing up, keep asking questions and keep building trust. Depth will happen when your mentee is ready.
📸 We love seeing photos of you and your mentee spending time together! Please share them with us via your coach or using the hashtag #intentionalmentoringmadison 📸
Mentor Coaching Group Meeting Dates:
ASHLEY: Monday, June 28th 6:45 – 7:45 ashley@intentionalmentoringmadison.org
RYAN: Monday, June 7th 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Ryan@intentionalmentoringmadison.org
Upcoming Events to Note
- FREE Virtual Performing Arts events!
- Urban League of Greater Madison events and opportunities!!
- There are a lot of cool and FREE events at the Dream Bank on E. Washington St.. Check out the AmFam Dream Bank site for more info and to register.
- For a listing of local events checkout www.MadisonWithKids.com
- Free Library Events/Activities: Fitchburg Events Calendar Madison Events Calendar
- For Orchard Ridge events check Orchard Ridge Calendar
- For Toki events check Toki Calendar
- For Sennett events check Sennett Calendar
- For Cherokee events check Cherokee Calendar
- For Blackhawk events check Blackhawk Calendar
- For JMM HS events check Memorial HS Calendar
- For West HS events check West HS Calendar
- For La Follette HS events check La Follette Calendar
If you have a change in personal information (phone/address/email) please respond to this email or notify your mentor coach ASAP.
QUOTE of the WEEK
“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves. ~ Steven Spielberg
All the best,
Intentional Mentoring