Abstract:

When we first discover the mentoring process, we realize that we can complete tutorial lessons, because with the mentoring we have a personal relationship with the students, and not only an academic guidance. The mentor’s role is very versatile: they are advisors, supporters, tutors, sponsors and models of identity. In other words, mentoring is a whole of activities (emotional, interpersonal, academical and professional) that means a total win experience for both mentors and mentees.
There are important tips to organize the mentoring experience, like the place, that must be calm avoiding any interruption in the meeting, the way you receive the students, listening capacity and unconditional support.
It must be consider that mentoring involves three stages: Beginning, development and ending.
At the beginning stage there are four activities that should be done by the mentor, to know better the mentees, a file, their prospects, their interests, and a plan for the activities to develop. A frank and mutual exploration of expectations and interests should be the objective in these first meetings, which should be done best in the first year of the university studies. Before the first examination period is very important that the mentor has a continue supervising of the mentee´s academic performance. We recommend at least one meeting a month, this should be “timetabled” in accordance to both interests.
At the second stage, the mentor should make a checking of the achievements, and continue the planning of activities, meanwhile the mentor is realizing the qualities and requirements of the students, and developing the best coaching for them. These meetings should not be an opportunity for light talking, we must remember that they are professional meetings crucial for the mentee´s succeed in the academic course. This means that meeting time consists in clearly-defined matters, what it does not means that if it is necessary you can not add activities or new points. At this point the meetings frequency is in order to cover the needs of the mentee, so he or she is going to be the one who set the dates.
At the end, the relationship becomes as one of equals, with a more colloquial contact, and maybe professional colleagues. To guide students through professional development, the mentor must provide career guidance, specifically assistance in preparation of CV and job interviews, and writing letters of recommendation. The student should be informed about the variety of professional options available to the students field of interests.
In our university mentoring still is an innovative technique, reason why most teachers do not feel prepared. Therefore, mentors need a guidance and assessment coming from a coordination mentors group, that are who organize the mentoring action plan of each degree, providing its own special set of mentoring needs and challenges.