Frequently
Asked Questions
What
grades can I mentor?
At this
time we are mentoring students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.
What
schools are participating?
McDowell
Mountain Elementary (grades K-2), Four Peaks Elementary School (grades
3-5) and Fountain Hills Middle School (6-8) are all participating in The
Program.
What
are the school hours?
Each
school has a slightly different time schedule, but mentoring occurs
during the basic school day hours of 9AM to 2PM.
Where
does mentoring take place?
Mentoring
takes place at each individual school. Please check our links
page for a location map to each school.
Do I
need a teaching degree to be a mentor?
No!
You will receive the student's work from the teacher.
Do I
have to be able to teach all subjects?
Another
No! You do not have to be able to teach any subject! Work
and instruction is provided by the teacher. You reinforce the
skills with activities and provide your own experience and learning to
assist the child. Your strengths in subject areas are taken into
consideration as we match up mentors and mentees.
Can
I mentor more than one child?
Yes,
you may mentor more than one child. However, we try to keep a one
to one mentor relationship. Some mentors mentor one child for a half
hour or 45 minutes, and then mentor another child for a session
immediately following.
What
is the school year time frame for mentoring?
Mentoring
begins in September, shortly after the school year begins, and finishes
up in May.
What
happens if I don't get to Arizona until December and I leave before the
school year is over?
We work
with your time available and just ask you to let the teacher and mentor
administrator know before you leave in the spring. We will work with you
to prepare your mentee for the ending of your time together.
What
happens if we have a vacation planned during the school year?
We ask
that you notify the teacher in advance as to when you will be absent,
and let your mentee know also. It is great when you can come back
and share your experience with your mentee.
What
is the time commitment involved to mentor?
We ask
for 30 to 45 minutes one day each week during the school year.
This is all it takes to make a difference in the life of a child.
Is
every child who needs mentoring "at risk"?
All children are "at
risk" within society today without support from caring adults.
The students we work with are at risk for many reasons. They
range from being unsuccessful in the traditional classroom, to not
being challenged in school, to having come from a non-traditional
family environment. Mentors offer students another view to life,
another caring adult.
What
training do I need?
There
is a 2 hour orientation and training before you begin mentoring your
student. That's it! Mentor
Resources, The
Mentor Resource Guide and Quick
Mentoring Tips are available on this site. Or just email,
or call 480-664-5262. Additionally, you can always discuss any questions
with the teacher or another mentor.
Why
should Companies adopt a mentoring program and support their
staff in becoming mentors?
Through
mentoring, your employees will have opportunities to support their
professional development (e.g. time management, communication, teamwork,
motivating others, etc.), while supporting the personal development of a
young person.
If I
can't mentor at this time, how can I make a donation?
A
donation form is available online. Just fill it out and mail it
along with your tax deductible donation.
I
want to be a mentor! How do I get started?
Fill
out your mentor
application form and submit it online, or print it out and put it in
the mail.. We will contact you from there, so you can begin making
a difference in the life of a child.
Still
have questions? Please email us,
or give us a call at 480-664-5262
