ARTSED MENTORING  (June -November 2023)

My understanding of mentoring emphasises the term “peer”, which creates a comfortable and effective learning environment for students. Importantly, I felt students are more open and comfortable when they engage with peers. According to my experience, I possess the “lived experiences of being a student.” When your lived experiences are combined with the knowledge-sharing process, I believe it changes several aspects of learning. First, a mentor can relate to the mentee's or student’s challenges or needs. A mentor can understand the situation and sentiments and know how to find effective solutions and support in similar situations. As a student, I had experiences where I could have sent an email to sort out an issue, but lacking that knowledge, I sought support in person.
Second, a mentor approaches each situation with an open mindset, whether conducting sessions with new students, experienced students, or students representing diverse educational levels and abilities. Being involved in diverse student activities at Deakin, I knew every student is different, and they understand differently. So, I approached mentoring with an open mindset and without any judgment.
The third aspect of peer mentoring is a “two-way learning process.” It's not just about the mentor guiding the mentee. It’s about both parties actively engaging in the learning process, finding solutions, and improving our knowledge. This active participation in the learning process is most satisfying as we work together to overcome challenges or meet our targets effectively. I can describe this with an example from nature: bees get nectar from flowers to make honey, an essential part of their survival, while helping transfer pollen and facilitating plant reproduction. This is a win-win situation, much like mentoring for both mentee and mentor.
Mentoring within Deakin felt like “self-exploration” for me as a learner and leader. Each day, I discovered my passion and capability to handle specific tasks. This is not something only a mentor experiences. For instance, one of my mentees shared her experience helping her classmates using what she learned during mentoring sessions. The final aspect of mentoring is “value-based.” It encourages inclusiveness and independent learning and promotes academic integrity and community values like being proactive, responsible, safe, and encouraging.

I perceive "mentoring" as a crucial skill and quality of a leader. What I mean is that leadership and mentorship are closely connected. Great leaders and mentors share knowledge and create an environment where everyone can grow, learn, and adapt. Leaders who also act as mentors help drive positive change and build a culture of excellence. When they pass on their knowledge, they create a shared sense of responsibility, ensuring leadership continues through future generations.​

My mentoring experience at Deakin University has been one of the most valuable learning ​opportunities. “Peer learning” is an effective method for enhancing understanding, and it has ​been a rewarding experience to both learn and contribute simultaneously. One of the key ​challenges I faced was balancing my academic life with mentoring. I embraced this as a ​challenge, wanting to see how this opportunity could help me discover hidden strengths and ​capabilities. I remember effectively communicating with my mentees to coordinate schedules, ​using both in-person and online methods to discuss academic matters. The feedback from my ​mentees was consistently positive, and we identified areas for improvement together, making it a ​continuous learning process for me. Secondly, mentoring helped me recognise my strengths and skills in teaching and sharing knowledge. As someone who aspires to ​become an academic and work in the education field, developing this unique skill was important ​to me. This experience allowed me to gain confidence and practical experience in mentoring. Finally, the process was satisfying for both mentors and mentees. Each goal we achieved ​motivated us to contribute more and work together effectively.