Telementoring is a process that combines the proven practice of mentoring with the speed and ease of electronic communication, enabling busy professionals to make significant contributions to the academic lives of students. Through mentoring by industry professionals, a corporation helps students develop the skills and foundation to pursue their interests successfully and operate at their potential.
Although research shows that face-to-face mentoring programs can have a variety of positive impacts, many top professionals believe they simply don't have the time to make that kind of commitment. By spending about 30-45 minutes per week, mentors can help students achieve academic excellence and explore career and educational futures.
A study of teacher survey data from the last three years (September, 1999 - March, 2002) indicates telementoring is making a measurable difference for students. A high percentage of teachers witnessed significant improvement in writing skills (95%), self-directed learning (88%), critical thinking skills (75%), career and workplace knowledge (57%), desire to go to college (46%), subject grades (45%), and science comprehension and ability (44%). Access the research documents on the Web site: www.telementor.org
ITP staff encourages you to consider providing this resource for your teachers and students. The general steps to participate include:
1. Visit www.telementor.org to review successful ITP projects from students around the world.
2. Identify teachers who have project based learning experience and technology skills.
3. Develop ITP projects that meet and enrich existing education goals.
4. Ensure teachers and students have a solid connection to the Internet.
5. Determine whether students will be able to communicate 2-3 times per week with mentors.
6. Secure funding at $200 per student to participate the first year. Contact David Neils regarding the cost in subsequent years.
7. Contact ITP staff with your questions or comments.
Contact ITP staff to learn how to server students in your community.
Call Toll Free: 877-376-8053 (U.S. and Canada) or 970-481-9795, E-mail: staff@telementor.org
Staff Biographies
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David Neils - Founder and Director Neils launched the International Telementor Program in 1995. Previously, Neils worked as a software developer for Hewlett-Packard. Through the ITP, Neils has made it possible for more than 44,000 youth to receive academic mentoring support from hundreds of professionals representing a variety of fields. Neils is a frequent speaker on the value of mentoring, as well as the school-to-work transition and purpose-driven education. Write to: davidn@telementor.org |
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Isaac Burson - Program Coordinator Burson is an English teacher in the Bossier Public School System in Shreveport, La. and has served as program coordinator for the International Telementor Program since 1996. As the Program Coordinator for the ITP, Burson has worked with students, teachers and mentoring communities from Kansas, Ohio, Missouri, New York, California, Louisiana and Colorado and as far afield as Singapore, Australia, Italy, Canada and Germany. An expert in project-based learning, Burson has trained many teachers to leverage ITP mentoring resources. Write to: zacburson@telementor.org |
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Victor Rivero - Editor/Writer Rivero is a contributing editor to American School Board Journal, contributing writer to District Administration magazine, MultiMedia & Internet @ Schools and the former editor of Converge magazine. He has toured the country as a consultant and writer for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and has assisted in magazine start-ups and corporate expansion into the education marketplace. |
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ITP Volunteers - ITP Sponsor Companies The International Telementor Program is fortunate to have hundreds of teachers, students, mentors and others who volunteer their time annually to improve the program and share the results with new communities. The ITP salutes these contributors who help continue to refine this program. Currently, the ITP receives support from a variety of mentor organizations, including: Merck, Sun Microsystems, Rotary International, HP, Edutopia, Thomson Reuters, MasterCard, Poudre Valley Health System and Agilent Technologies. Special acknowledgment goes to Kansas University Pathways to Success and Gear Up programs for additional support. Write to: davidn@telementor.org |