These samples are representative of my mentoring proficiencies as submitted to the Master Mentorship Program in my Mentoring Portfolio, Fall 2004.

Mentoring Portfolio

Mentoring is a mutual journey of self-discovery and skill development.

I use the Vygotsky approach when mentoring.  Len Semyonovitch Vygotsky was born on November 5, 1896 in Byelorussia (Soviet Union). He was first educated as lawyer and a philologist (one who studies written records esp. literary texts, in order to determine their authenticity, meaning, etc.). (Webster's, 1980). He began his career as a psychologist in1917 and only pursued this career for 17 years before his death from tuberculosis in 1934.

His theory - "The Zone of Proximal Development is the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers." (Cole, 1962.)

This is accomplished during a mentoring session by my asking probing wh-questions to the scholar in her exploration and self-discovery.  So instead of me telling the scholar what she has to do to get better, this approach is intended to guide her to self-realization and independent problem solving.  She learns more about her work and the choices she makes while I learn more about my work and the questions I ask.  We learn and grow together.

Who is a SCHOLAR?

I am intrigued with how we (the interpreting profession) create paradigms in our field.  And one that directly relates to mentoring is the terms we use to identify each other mentor/mentee.  We perpetuate the paradigm that mentors “know it all” and mentees need to be fixed simply by using these terms. •I have long disliked the label of “mentee” but never really knew why until I started the Master Mentorship Program.

There is definitely a power imbalance in the way these two English terms relate to each other.  •So after a thesaurus search, I have found a new identifying label that I use and I like so far; others that I’ve shared it with also like it.

That term is “scholar” – one who studies with a teacher.

I really like the idea that the scholar and the teacher study together – a process.  I like the status of the word scholar. I like the combination of the two words together – mentor/scholar.  I have used this term for over a year now.

These are the individuals I worked with during my internship program and they generally liked the term - scholar. Instead of being passive participants waiting for learning to happen to them, these scholars are active learners empowered for their own learning and development throughout the mentoring process. 

Each one of their journeys, thus mentoring relationships with me, is unique and individualized.  Click on their pictures below to see a synopsis of each mentoring experience.