It seems that no one receives the amount of love the mentors get at the International School. Our mentors are always ready to give love, grace and genuine care to the students who trust them and look to them for guidance. After all, mentors never know how much their actions and reactions will impact a mentee’s life and their mental wellbeing.

Be the person you want them to aspire to be 

Twice a year, every December and June, we ask our students to anonymously evaluate their teachers and mentors. This is not just an opportunity to evaluate but also to send a sincere message of what they particularly liked about their teachers and mentors or what they think requires further improvement. This time we were blown away by the results! Not only were the teachers and mentors praised for their care and support but also for their unselfish dedication during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. 

“He has helped me develop and grow as a person. He never demanded respect, he earned it. This school and its students are very lucky to have him”, said one of the students about Mr Andrej Bunjac, Mathematics teacher.

The interaction mentors have with their mentees gives them insight into their character, values and lifestyle. As someone who guides young adults, mentors must be aware of their actions, as they are the ones the mentees look up to and learn from. 

“She cares for me, I can talk to her about everything; she’s always there to help me and give good advice. She motivates me to do better,” commented one of the students about Ms Jovana Živković, English teacher.

Mentors at the International School are always showing their mentees that they are important to them and that they truly care about who they are and the struggles they sometimes go through. Genuinely, what teenagers need most is love, right? 

“She has always been there for me whenever I needed her. She was very dedicated and always made my needs a priority, which I really appreciated. She would help me with both school and non-school matters, which I found really helpful as I could seek advice from her on anything”, declared one of the students about Ms Marija Milić, Economics teacher. 

Virtual mentoring 

If you are wondering if there is such a thing as virtual mentoring, the answer is yes. Empathy in mentor-mentee interactions is always important, but never more so than during the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic. The main goal was staying close while maintaining a distance. We can just say – goal accomplished! 

“She is so understanding and helpful, and she was there for me throughout this whole quarantine period. She’s truly one of the best teachers I have ever had”, deservingly addressed to Ms Ana Vlašić, Physics teacher.

We have asked our students what it is that they particularly like about their mentors. As you can see, they love everything. And we really mean EVERYTHING! Mentoring, at its core, guarantees to young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing day-to-day challenges. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic and professional situations. 

We encourage our students to be the leaders of tomorrow. That is why we have enabled them to select a personal mentor, a teacher who is always there to help them with whatever they need. Learning from the people they admire and respect is decidedly the best way for our students to become like-minded. We’re truly different, remember?!