Running head: REFLECTION PAPER

Focus Group Reflection Paper rett A! "iddle#roo$ E%L&'(1 No)e*#er 1+, -.1(

REFLECTION PAPER Focus Group Reflection Paper In last /ee$s assign*ent I conducted a focus group #et/een t/o different adult learning instructors on their )ie/s in #est practices for #eing a profound *entor! The instructors inter)ie/ed ha)e si*ilar ideas, #ut different #est practices in acco*plishing a *entorship! In the inter)ie/ the follo/ing ite*s /ere discussed: challenges, gauging, personal *entorship e0periences, and finding *entee1s! The discussion responses I recei)ed fro* the instructors help e0pand *2 o/n understanding! This paper /ill reflect on the inter)ie/ and the responses gi)en #2 the instructors on /hat constitutes a good *entor! Good Mentoring The instructors e0plained that in all actualit2 there is no such thing as a fla/less or perfect *entor! 3hat *a$es a good *entor a great one is that the2 understand that the2 ha)e as *uch to learn fro* their *entee as that *entee can learn fro* the*! This 4uestion arose through general con)ersation #et/een the t/o instructors, 5ha)e 2ou e)er felt *ore $no/ledgea#le or luc$2 for 2our e0perience /ith a *entee67 That 4uestion *ade their faces see* a little pu88led /ith o)er/hel*ing 9o2 as the2 #oth thought through the *entors that the2 ha)e had throughout ti*e! One of the instructors #egan telling *e a#out a friend that the2 ha)e /ho started out as a person to *entor! :he #egan e0plaining the histor2 #ehind this learner and ho/ the learner started out /anting to fulfill one career *ode and changed her *ind! :he shared that throughout the 2ears of /or$ing together that *entee and her #eca*e friends! The instructor #enefited so *uch fro* their ongoing friendship! %uring the conclusion portion of their *entorship the *entee disclosed her satisfaction and appro)al of their relationship! The instructor told *e that in the end her *entee disclosed that 52ou ha)e changed *2 life for the #est and 2ou ha)e sho/n *e so*ething I ne)er thought /as possi#le! I /ant to pro)ide this e0perience to another person li$e *e7! The2 are no/

REFLECTION PAPER #oth peers and the2 *entor and teach adult students! The2 #oth are not instructors at the sa*e institution #ut the2 still are friends to this da2 and *entor each other to $eep their s$ills sharp! The instructors #oth ha)e changed the li)es of countless learners and /ere ha)ing so*e trou#le to re*e*#er specific e)ents that had ta$en place! The easiest cases to re*e*#er /ere the ones that /ere ta$ing place no/ and the *entees that the2 are friends /ith still toda2! I /anted to get a #etter feel for ho/ the2 functioned /hen the2 first started *entoring! I /anted to ha)e feeler out for ho/ the2 #enefited and o)erca*e o#stacles /ithin their o/n *inds dealing /ith a student! The inter)ie/ /ith each instructor /as an o)er/hel*ing a/arding e0perience for *e! I learned ho/ si*ilar *2 ideas trul2 /ere to the /a2 the2 ha)e found success in *entoring! I also learned that the ti*es ha)e changed and students continue to #e different and gro/ing! The instructors *ade *e laugh a couple of ti*es /hen the2 tal$ed a#out the students of toda2 and ho/ different /e are! I laughed and told the* 5/ait a *inute I a* a student of toda27! The2 chuc$led, s*iled, and said, 5/e heard our *entors sa2 that /hen /e /ere the students of toda27! Their final piece of ad)ice /as to ne)er forget /here I ha)e co*e fro*, and /hat I did to get to /here I a*! The2 told *e to re*e*#er that students go through those sa*e e0periences and the /orld, as I $no/ it is and /ould not #e the sa*e as I re*e*#er it! The instructors taught *e a lot and I )alued fro* our con)ersation, as did *2 *entees!