In this activity, students will be introduced to the concept of mentorship. They will have a better understanding of what a mentor is and the benefits to having a mentor in their personal and professional lives. Your students will also be introduced to the concept of virtual mentorship.
Play the following mentors video to introduce this concept to your students. In this video, we will discuss what a mentor is, what a mentor/mentee relationship looks like, the benefits and importance of mentoring, and virtual mentorship.
Read the following quote from actor Denzel Washington out loud to the class:
“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well, I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.”
– Denzel Washington
Inform your students that even some of the most famous and successful individuals had someone there to guide them and teach them the knowledge and skills they needed to succeed.
Ask students this question:
Can anyone name a successful person that has had a mentor?
Some students may have an answer; however, many may not. Provide students with the following examples of famous mentor/mentee relationships throughout history (both real and fictional).
- Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs
- Kanye West and Jay Z
- Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore (Harry Potter)
- Steven Spielberg and J. J. Abrams
- Socrates, Plato and Aristotle (Ancient Greece)
- Simba and Mufasa (Lion King)
- Bill Gates and Warren Buffet
From these examples, lead a class discussion using the following prompts:
What are some things that can be learned from a mentor? (E.g. skills, advice, etc.)
What are some examples of mentors in your own life?
Do you think anyone can be a mentor? What do you think qualifies someone to be a mentor?