Path of Inquiry/October 7, 2010

Path of inquiry: How has our thinking about information resources evolved? What tools and techniques have we found useful working with our mentees?
The presentations we had in class about service learning and the library website was very informative, even though I am a senior. I feel like the more we are learning about service learning and the library, the better prepared we are for our mentees. The group assignment we are working on has been so interesting and I have learned alot just by find the meaning and location of "realia" and the "Salish" and "Mongolia" languages as examples. It's fun to learn more about the library and what it has to offer in resources and services, through various ways and this compliments the tour we had.

As far as working with my mentees, the most effective mode of communication for me has been texting. Though two of my mentees are responding to emails as well.

I met with one mentee last Thursday at noon, and even though she doesn't need my help now, we spent 30 minutes getting to know each other better. She talked a little about Dwight Clark as she lost a cousin when he was in college. She also talked about her other classes a bit. She had responded to my email with a text to me stating she would like to get together if the group wanted too. I responded back and offered to meet with her one and one and she said yes. So I guess I am discovering that I need to be open and flexible in communication, needs, encounters to get the most out of this experience and to provide as much opportunity as any of my mentees want in connecting this quarter.

Another one of my mentees emailed me back that she was checking out a DVD and a book and would let me know when she needed help. I appreciated her letting me know where she was in her process and getting back to me.

My approach has been and I will continue to email and text all three of my mentees once per week to check in with them and offer an opportunity to get together. From what I learned last week, I have added to my approach the willingness to get together one on one.

I'm still thinking about our class discussion around mentees and brainstorming what boundaries I would like to set up around proofing papers as deadlines draw near. I liked Amy's suggestion about getting a syllabus for the class.

In closing I want to say I like that we are in groups for an assignment,as it is helping me to get to know others in our class a bit better. Also, thank you Gabe for opening a chance to dialogue about Dwight Clark. I also want to thank Inga, Kristina, Hallie, Jess and others for sharing around our Dwight Clark discussion. I was encouraged and learned more about others' perspectives on Bellingham and WWU. Thank you so much! Have an awesome day! Christina