The importance of mentoring

Want more teachers from diverse backgrounds?  There’s probably nothing more important than mentoring potential candidates.

Robert Hendricks, III, is the founder and CEO of the He Is Me Institute, a nonprofit that recruits and retains  Black male teachers by providing appropriate mentors (also Black males) from preschool through the start of a teaching career.

While a teacher and school administrator, Hendricks said he saw Black male students ”in ways that others didn’t,” and could encourage them to stay in school and pursue academic success.

“The school environment often isn’t conducive to the success of these students and teachers,” which is why he changed careers and pursued “strategic relationships” with other organizations, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and the University of Massachusetts in his programs.

The nonprofit offers three programs of mentorship spanning 10 years, from high school through college.

A summer program lets high school students teach and mentor younger students for 7-8 weeks. Hendricks said it’s more effective to frame it as an opportunity to work with boys instead of using language about teaching.”  It's not until they get the end of summer evaluation when we say, ‘Would you be a teacher?’ Hendricks said in a recent interview on National Public Radio.

Mentoring early in their teaching career is also vital since Black males are five times more likely than their cohorts to leave the profession by the third year.

He cites research showing that Black students who have Black teachers are more likely to stay in school, less likely to get in trouble, more likely to attend college and more likely to take advanced courses in college,

However, only 1.3 percent of the teachers in public schools are Black.

Denise Hanson, founder and executive director of Root 2 Rise, recognizes the importance of mentoring by those who reflect the diversity of students.

“I applaud the work of He Is Me and efforts to  increase the diversity of teachers. Root 2 Rise increases diversity in the classroom and we continue to seek to confirm its tangible benefits to Tutor-Mentors and younger students,” said Denise Hanson, executive director of Root 2 Rise.

“We provide as much support as possible for Tutor-Mentors who want to pursue a career in teaching, and are eager to provide even more support whenever possible.”