Teachers perform a great deal of supplementary work for which they are not compensated. For example, the time that teachers spend grading homework or making suggestions on essays can translate into hours of unpaid work. One important role that teachers play is one of a mentor, or someone who can form a personal connection with students and guide them academically and otherwise. Many, if not most, teachers at IHS have formed some kind of connection with their students in this vein. Recently, the administration has been working on a way to document the mentorship that is already occurring throughout the school, in order to help coordinate efforts to personalize student-teacher relations and make students more comfortable and engaged.
Crystal Sessoms, formerly a special education teacher at DeWitt, has just started her first year at IHS as Associate Principal for freshmen, and she has spearheaded this movement alongside many other administrators. “It started at the beginning of this school year with thinking about the practical things that were already in place that lend themselves to building relationships, and using relationships as a foundation to engage students,” Sessoms said, describing the new initiative to document mentorship throughout the school.
Near the beginning of the school year, Principal Trumble and Mrs. Reitenbach, one of IHS’s social workers, sent out a video to the IHS staff regarding their vision for documenting mentoring. Essentially, the administration is aware of the fact that many teachers have taken the time to form relationships with their students and check in with them on a more personal level. However, there has never yet been an effort to document these relationships or share their existence with the rest of the staff.
In the video, Reitenbach says that “research clearly indicates that students who feel connected to an adult at school are more successful.” This illustrates the idea behind identifying and documenting extant relationships between students and teachers. School can be very intimidating, especially for students with difficult life situations, who may feel misunderstood by their teachers. Forming a relationship with a teacher or another staff member can be as simple as having a conversation about a topic unrelated to academics and it can lead to a deeper understanding, on the teacher’s part, of the student’s background. For example, a teacher can learn what motivates a student, what their family situation is like, or what their interests and hobbies are. Simple interactions like these can greatly improve students’ morale and motivation.
A few students noted the extent to which they have relationships with IHS staff and how important they think it is. “Mr. Noyes is a teacher I like a lot, and I see him sometimes at the Farmer’s Market because he runs a stand there, I think, and I’ll stop in and say hi and ask how he’s doing,” said Daniel Deets ’20. “I don’t want my teachers to be too distant from me,” he added. Ijeyi Onah ’18 described her relationship with Mr. Asklar, whom she sees when she goes to the YMCA. “I’ve been looking at colleges, and I’m looking at one in the area that he’s actually from, so he gives me lots of advice,” she said. Sessoms acknowledged the importance of these kinds of relationships, which “build a rapport with the student beyond the academic experience.”
Sessoms also stressed the importance of mentorship in the context of its benefit to the students. “We define [each student] as a whole person, with thoughts that have to be validated and affirmed, and have days where they’re not going to be at their best. When there’s a relationship there, it’s easier to break down some of those barriers.” This is where the documentation of mentoring comes into play. The administration team hopes that having a database of student-teacher relationships will allow them to address a concerned student by pulling in one or two adults connected with that student, who can vouch for the student or give insight into their background or perspective that would otherwise not be available.
It is important to stress that this initiative does not change very much of the teacher’s role in the lives of students. The goal of this program is not at all to give teachers more work. In fact, in the video Mrs. Reitenbach states that “we’re not going to ask you to do anything more than you’re already doing.” It also does not change the nature of a teacher’s relationship with their students in any way. Teachers are not expected to change their behavior to become “mentors,” nor are they obligated to initiate new relationships solely on the pretense of advancing the mentorship program.
The documentation process is currently in its initial phases, as teachers have received surveys in which they listed the names of students with whom they had a more personal relationship. Its effects will be subtle, as the mentorship documentation doesn’t specifically change the dynamics of teacher-student relationships at IHS. However, the effects that those connections have on the lives of individual students are significant. “It’s about being human,” Sessoms said. “It’s beyond ‘this is this teacher or IHS staff member.’”