Mentoring Component of the Wallowa and Imnaha River WET Program
Mentoring: a process in which a more experienced person supports and aids a less experienced person in his/her learning.
During the WET Program, a range of mentoring occurs. Initially, natural resource professionals and Wallowa Mountain Institute field instructors mentor the high school students during the monitoring. On a subsequent sampling day, the high schoolers then mentor the middle school students in the field. The older students guide the younger students through the sampling, while the field instructors step back from teaching. The benefits to all groups are numerous.
For the high school students, benefits include:
• Demonstrated comprehension of material through teaching,
• Exploration of leadership qualities,
• and a heightened sense of responsibility.
For the middle school students, benefits include:
• Contact with older peers outside of school in a teaching environment,
• Possibly a heightened interest in the subject when taught by an older peer,
• and a chance to develop a relationship with an older peer.
Enjoy this slideshow of mentoring experiences captured in the field during WET: