Mentor Monthly - September 2021

September 2021

Every year from September 15 to October 15, Americans celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by appreciating the community’s history, heritage, and contributions of the ancestors of American citizens who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South and Central America.

Hispanic Heritage Month originally started with one week of commemoration when it was first introduced by Congressman George E. Brown in June 1968. With the civil rights movement, the need to recognize the contributions of the Latin community gained traction in the 1960s. Awareness of the multicultural groups living in the United States was also gradually growing.

To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month with your mentee, Click Here!

Source: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/

CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Celebrating Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month with your mentee is a great way to learn about other people’s cultures and customs. Read more about how exploring cultures helps young people respect and value diversity.

Cook a Latin American classic. You and your mentee can decide on a dish to prepare and discuss the results during your next mentoring session.

You can find some recipes here!

Learn the difference between the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino/a"

Latino or Hispanic? What's the difference? - BBC News

For a more in-depth video explanation of the two terms, click here and here!

Read books by Hispanic and Latinx authors. Whatever the age of your reader, there are plenty of books to explore by Hispanic and Latino authors.

You can start your search here!

Pasos al Futuro

Pasos al Futuro or "Steps towards the Future" is an event that helps students in grades 8-12 prepare for college entrance. However, the presentation is aimed at students and their families and is completely in Spanish. In each event attendees will receive necessary information to go to and pay for college.

Topics covered include:

Different levels and degrees of university education
Exams and courses that are requirements for college admission
Types of financial aid
How to apply to college and apply for scholarships

If you work with a Spanish speaking student, you can encourage them and their family to attend the Pasos al Futuro virtual workshops. They can find more information, here!

TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

The start of the school year can be a hectic time for students. Good time management skills help them prioritize tasks so they are able to complete school work and assignments on time. Students are able to plan ahead, set aside the time they need for projects and assignments, and make better use of that time.

Becoming better at managing time allows students to become more organized, more confident, and learn more effectively. It can also help students avoid the dreaded procrastination problem, which can be a slippery slope to stress, frustration, and poor grades.

Create a Master Schedule- Make a master schedule with your mentee and block off time to work on school assignments. This will help your mentee prioritize projects and provide a structure to help keep him or her on track to meet due dates. Use a different color for each subject so your mentee can follow the schedule quickly and easily. Use the agenda to schedule in TV and computer time too—this will help your mentee avoid falling into a trap of wasted hours in front of a screen instead of working on assignments. Download your own master schedule here: Download the Printable Version Here
Set Goals For Each Study Session- Help your student set specific goals for each day, like how many pages of a book report to write or how many math questions to complete. The master schedule will help with planning your student's daily goals so assignments can be completed on time.
Work On One Thing At A Time- It might seem like more is being accomplished with multitasking, but splitting attention between more than one task isn’t an effective way to learn. Your mentee should work on one task at a time, giving it his or her full attention. Focusing on one task will help them complete it more efficiently and effectively.
Study In Shorter Bursts- For every 30 minutes of school work, encourage your mentee to schedule a short 10-15 minute break to recharge. Trying to work on one thing for too long can actually cause students’ minds to wander more. Taking short breaks is a good way to give your student's brain a chance to recharge so he or she can come back more focused.
Start Early In The Day- Encourage your mentee to work on assignments earlier in the day, or right after school. Encourage your student look over his or her agenda and master schedule to find out what needs to be completed each night and get started early. Waiting to start until later in the evening means your student will have less time (and energy), leading to delayed bedtimes, unfinished assignments, and more stress.

Source: https://gradepowerlearning.com/10-time-management-tips-students/#10-time-management-tips-for-students

MENTOR OF THE MONTH

Sheila Moree

How did you become involved with mentoring through Hillsborough Education Foundation? I am good friends with Denise Becker (HEF's Director of Teacher Resource Program) and was discussing volunteer opportunities with HEF with her. Knowing my personality and background she suggested that I look into the mentoring program.

What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring? Seeing the growth in my mentee and being able to provide her with suggestions and resources to reach her goals.

What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor? I believe communication is key. It is especially critical to be an effective listener to hear what your mentee's goals are and challenges they face in reaching these goals.

When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time? I am a volunteer with the Guardian ad Litem program, active in my church and enjoy cooking, hiking and reading.

What do you hope your mentee(s) will learn from you? That you are not alone, there are people who want to help you reach your goals and if you reach out and work hard then these goals are achievable.

VIRTUAL WEBINARS & WORKSHOPS

The TSIC Team will be offering all TSIC students a menu of various topic-based, group webinars throughout the school year.

Each session will feature a different presenter and will cover a different topic designed to help your mentee gain skills, learn more about college, learn about various careers, and more! Attending 1 group session/webinar will also count as 1 mentoring session! If students are not able to meet with a mentor during a certain month (maybe due to a mentor's work schedule, being away on vacation etc.) the mentee must participate in at least 2 virtual webinars, to meet the requirements of the program and remain in good standing with TSIC. All group sessions are conducted via Zoom.

If you are interested is hosting a session, presenting on a specific topic, or serving as a guest speaker, please let your College Success Coach know!

Keep in mind, we can be creative with topics! Topics may include: FAFSA, writing a college essay, budgeting and financial literacy, resume building, interview skills, studying abroad, mental health, SAT prep, career exploration, and more!

To see the current topics being covered, click here!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

FOR CEOs IN SCHOOLS

CEOs in Schools is an innovative program that brings CEOs and senior level executives into Hillsborough County public elementary schools for an unforgettable learning experience.

On November 5th business leaders will have the chance to see the challenges and opportunities facing our students, teachers, administrators and public schools every day. CEOs can also share their knowledge with principals (the CEOs of our schools) and our next generation of professionals.

We hope you will join us in this initiative that provides a new perspective on the role school and business relationships play in preparing our future workforce for academic and personal success.

Florida Prepaid Beefs Up Its Popular 529 College Savings Program

At today's prices for a higher education, saving up for college is tougher than ever. But there are new enhancements to a popular plan sponsored by the State that can make the task a bit easier. The State of Florida's College Prepaid program dates back to the late 1980s. Since then, more than a million families have taken advantage of the program.

To read more, click here.

Source: WFSU

Pandemic Changes How Future Teachers are Trained

The pandemic is already creating lasting effects on the education of future teachers. Many educator preparation programs in Florida and around the nation include more information about digital tools, online teaching, and mental and emotional wellness in their classes. School system leaders across the U.S. are hoping to offer in-person teaching as widely as possible this year. But education experts say the increased focus on technology will improve teacher quality no matter what happens with the pandemic.

To read more, click here.

Source: VOA News