Mentoring Meld Students: Rewarding And Difficult Experience

Mentoring MELD students may be both a rewarding and difficult experience. As they acclimate to a new culture, language, and academic environment, these students confront a number of challenges. As a mentor, it is critical to assist and encourage these students as they negotiate the complexity of university life and achieve their goals. In this reflective essay, I will share my experiences in mentoring a MELD student, including the high and low points, what I have learned about communication, culture, and mentorship, and how my own lived experience has influenced my mentoring approach.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my mentoring experience was seeing my mentee achieve his objective of becoming a better communicator. During the games and

For one, I have grown more conscious of how cultural differences may affect communication and the mentor-mentee relationship. For example, my mentee came from a background where asking questions or seeking explanations from a mentor was considered disrespectful. As a result, they frequently nodded and said "yes" to whatever I said, even though they did not completely comprehend it. It was not until we had been working together for a few weeks that I grasped the scope of the problem and discovered alternative methods to encourage my mentee to ask questions and seek clarity. Being conscious of these disparities has enabled me to be more sensitive and responsive to the needs of my mentee. It also inspired me to enhance my communication skills by consulting Susan David's (2016) book on emotional agility, which described being flexible and adaptive in the face of tough events, recognising and managing uncomfortable emotions, and being focused on one's goals. After reading this book, I attempted to provide a secure place for my mentee to express their emotions and thoughts without fear of being judged, which contributed to the formation of trust in our relationship. Moreover, working with a MELD student has also challenged my previously held beliefs about what it means to be a mentor. I initially believed that mentors should have all the answers and be experts in their

Coming from an immigrant family, I have seen firsthand the difficulties and challenges that come with transitioning to a new nation and culture. This has given me a unique perspective on my mentee's experiences and allowed me to sympathise with their difficulties. Furthermore, my personal experiences and advantages have made me aware of the various ways in which identity and social context may affect one's mentoring experience. For example, my mentee mentioned that in order to pay for their tuition, they had to work part-time while attending university. This made me realise how fortunate I had been to get financial assistance and an education from my parents. Understanding these disparities in context and experience has increased my awareness of the need of being attentive to and responsive to the needs of my mentees. It also taught me that my mentee's and my own circumstances might differ greatly, therefore it is critical for me to be considerate and aware of my mentee's point of view. It is sometimes perceived that a mentor has more authority than the mentee; but, after reading a leadership practice guide by Kouzes and Posner (2011), I discovered that by sharing power with my mentee, I may assist my mentee to acquire confidence in attaining his goals. They also advise cultivating cooperative goals in order to create trust with my mentee and overcome any cultural barriers that may arise