My Learnings as a Mentor Through Trials and Triumphs
Recently, I embarked on a transformative journey with the LaunchIn Mentorship program. Little did I know that this experience would unfold into a story of challenges, resilience, and profound insights.
For the past five months, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring an extraordinary individual aspiring to carve a path in UI/UX development. Now, you might wonder, what sets my experience apart from the multitude of mentors out there?
Well, it wasn’t just any mentoring experience — it was a unique and complex challenge. My mentee, a brilliant woman studying at a prestigious university, possessed not only a keen interest in UI/UX but also faced the daily hurdles of partial blindness and deafness.
As I delved into this mentorship, I quickly realized that our perceptions of ourselves hold immense power. When asked to introduce herself, my mentee’s initial description centered around her struggle with disability. It struck me deeply — how we view ourselves shapes our journey. While she identified with her challenges, I noticed a talented individual with a passion for photography.
Initially, our sessions were filled with curiosity and eagerness. However, a subtle change occurred over time. Absences became more frequent, and the sparkle in her assignments dimmed. Concerned, I questioned my methods and teaching approach. I decided to shift gears, opting to focus more on reinforcing existing concepts rather than introducing new ones. Small tasks replaced complex ones to ease her into the material. Despite recognizing her capability in handling more intricate and challenging tasks, I adjusted the sails, believing that simplicity might reignite her enthusiasm.
Feedback sessions were telling. Communication became challenging for her, and I learned a valuable lesson: attention span is intrinsically tied to one’s drive for a subject. Witnessing her diminishing willpower, I pondered a universal truth — doesn’t willpower have its limits?
Navigating through these challenges, another revelation dawned upon me. Coding, a vital aspect of our sessions, proved to be a formidable hurdle. The difficulty in grasping coding concepts led her to disengage. It became evident that the willpower to tackle challenging lessons diminishes faster, a universal truth that applies to us all.
Teaching and mentoring, I understood, is an art honed through experience.
According to me, the mentor-mentee dynamic is similar to a synchronized dance, where effective communication and understanding each other’s rhythm are paramount. Picture each mentorship session as an intricate waltz, and recognizing the unique cadence of both individuals is the key to creating a harmonious experience. It was a realization that took time to unfold — how the intricacies of our sessions influenced her engagement.
In retrospect, I discovered that my initial approach focused more on completing the syllabus rather than allowing ample time for comprehension. The assignments, albeit well-intentioned, proved to be too complex initially. I gleaned the importance of introducing simplicity into the mentorship arsenal, creating a gradual immersion into the program. A mentor should be adept at identifying gaps in their methods and be willing to adapt for the mentee’s benefit.
This journey taught me that mentorship is not a mere checklist; rather, it should embody flexibility, molding itself to cater to the unique needs of the mentee. By embracing this fluidity, the mentorship program can truly become a dynamic and enriching experience for both mentor and mentee alike.
As I conclude this chapter of my mentorship saga, I eagerly anticipate sharing the techniques and strategies I employed in the next article. After all, every mentorship story is a journey of growth, for both the mentor and the mentee.
