One of the pillars of UNISPHER’s educational methodology is mentoring. This involves a friend who is also a wise guiding support of the educational process; an “older comrade,” not a teacher, but a mentor. But what does the concept of a mentor include?
Originally, Mentor was a name. It was the name of an old friend of Odysseus, who took care of his son Telemachus while the famous ancient Greek traveler was on his amazing adventures. Mentor was not a teacher; he was an educator and advisor. Since then, the word “mentor” has become a symbol of a guide through education and life, defining someone who helps another person develop personal and professional skills, sharing knowledge, skills, and life experience.
The difference between a mentor and a teacher lies in the informality and flexibility of the relationship. While a teacher mainly follows a prescribed curriculum focused on academic knowledge, a mentor works in a more free form, often acting as an advisor who supports and inspires their mentee.
This definition most accurately meets Unispher’s requirements—to educate, inspire, advise, and guide. The main task of a mentor is not to transmit information for memorization but to provide participants of the project with tools and support in creating THEIR OWN pathway of learning. A mentor inspires, motivates, provides impetus and tools for the development of creative thinking processes and idea generation, orchestrates team efforts, and supports them during the project. A mentor should not solve problems for the student; however, they can explain how to solve a problem and how to avoid a new one arising. Another task of a mentor is to inspire the student: to show them that knowledge goes beyond the school curriculum they have learned and engages with their interests, passions, and life experiences, all of which can be utilized for an interesting and engaging educational process.