By James B. Ewers, Jr., Ed.D.
The United States of America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. As one person said proudly, “It’s a land where everybody is somebody.” Since its founding, America has been a building block for its citizens.
Many have said that this nation is a land of immigrants. We can trace our roots to another country. Therein lies one of our strengths. We all come from somewhere with much to offer and much to learn.
We learn from each other and get to know different cultures and traditions. Our diversity of thoughts and ideas has kept us creative over the years.
We have always been on the mountaintop of innovation. The United States of America has never taken a timeout when it comes to producing new leaders and new minds. While we are a great country, we must always prepare for a brighter future.
My first mentors were my parents. They served as role models for me. At the time of my youth, I didn’t know it. I just followed their instructions and watched what they did.
My parents were respected in my hometown of Winston-Salem, North Crolina. I figured that out because people were always at our house. They were asking questions and seeking counsel from them.
As I grew older, there were men and women outside of my home that I admired. Some chose to help me in my high school and college days. I determined that I needed some help to gain some success along the way.
I never really thought about being on top. I simply didn’t want to be at the bottom. So being mentored and being a mentor have been major parts of my life.
As I reflect, I have had some wonderful people help me navigate a better life. They saw potential in me when I didn’t see it in myself.
All of them had one common characteristic, and that was they told me many times what I didn’t want to hear. Their advice was steeped in reality and not some ideal that I might have had.
As I am trying to reach overtime, my need for a mentor is no more. However, I am serving as a mentor to some friends and colleagues. They are in different walks of life with different skill sets.
Mentoring has always been important. You only gain wisdom if you have been around for a good period of time. It just doesn’t come in your early years. Some say we are in challenging times, thus the need for mentors has increased. Those with the wisdom of experience must step in and guide the way.
Now, companies and organizations have coordinated mentoring programs. Enrolling in them helps you to understand your work environment and expectations better. Back in my day, these programs didn’t exist. For example, some school systems have veteran teachers serving as mentors to first- and second-year teachers. As we know, the teaching profession in some circles is under-resourced. Retired teachers are also volunteering in schools to help the teacher shortfall. Help and assistance are both valued and needed.
Many of us spent our lives in the field of education and have watched it change over the years. If you are a retired teacher, why not help where you can? If you are considering a career in education, seek out an experienced educator who can provide you with guidance and counseling.
A mentoring relationship can do the following: it can help you in personal development, it can help you to identify career goals, it can increase your network, and it can increase your confidence.
The power and privilege of helping the next generation cannot be overstated. Someone helped us, so we must help others.
