A mentor is...

Throughout my 6 years as a Montessori teacher, there is one person I look up to as a mentor and that person was my "supervising" teacher, Suzanne. Suzanne was the one teacher who taught me everything I needed to know about being a good and efficient Montessori teacher. After I finished my Montessori training, I had to undergo one year of interning under an experienced Montessori teacher. At the time I was living in Northern Virginia with my aunt and uncle. I searched on the internet for Montessori schools near my aunt's house and I emailed Directors looking for someone to become my supervising teacher.

The school that accepted me as an intern was a prominent Montessori school that had about 4 other branches in Northern Virginia. I did not get to choose who would be my supervising teacher but I was assigned the teacher who had been there the longest, Suzanne. She had been a Montessori teacher for a long time. Looking back, I'm so glad she became my supervising teacher.

I consider Suzanne my mentor because of all the valuable information she taught me as I was going through my internship but most of all I consider her my mentor because of her patience, understanding and kindness. Never once did Suzanne criticize me for the mistakes I made as an interning teacher. She always encouraged me and lovingly showed me the "Montessori" way. I guess in a way I also consider her my "second" mother. I will always remember Suzanne because of the advice she gave me as I was about to start my first year of teaching and that was to always respect the child and allow the child to grow into his/her individual self.