A Year of Being Kind blog – Thursday, September 18, 2014
In Which I am an Advisor—Of Sorts
I really enjoy teaching! And, talking with students. Advising, informal counseling, I am not exactly sure what you would call it. But I know I have a good deal of expertise in a number of areas. I would like to share my knowledge with others.
I don’t believe I ever mentioned this before, but a few years ago I worked at the graduate school of a university in town. For almost four years, I was coordinator and instructor for a small program in one of the departments. Part of my responsibilities involved not only teaching, marking weekly assignments, and interacting with students, but also advising, and working with students to explore the course material.
(Yeah, it was twenty hours a week. Yeah, I was only a part-time employee with absolutely no benefits. Yeah, I was dependent on a grant to the department, and when the grant ended, so did my job. And, yeah, I am still a bit disgruntled, because despite everything I truly enjoyed my job! However—consider my rant over. On with my current way of being of service!)
So, I am familiar with advising and counseling, and especially providing new ways of thinking about the course material. I enjoyed it, as I say. All of it! In my present work situation at St. Luke’s Church, I have the opportunity to again advise and encourage a young man. Tim is acting as our youth worker, teaching Sunday school and working with the five to seven children we have most Sundays. (He’s also doing this Christian education work as field education for his college degree.) Tim is going to graduate this December. He has a youth pastor job waiting for him out of state. Except—I see a few gaps in his college learning.
That’s why Tim and I are going to meet together every other week, and I’ll advise and mentor him during this fall semester. I am so pleased we can have this time together! As I said, I do enjoy communicating knowledge. I am so appreciative for those teachers and mentors in my life, and I always strive to be as nurturing and helpful as I can to those who come to me for advice or mentoring. I know many of the graduate students I assisted told me explicitly how much they appreciated me and my words. And encouragement. And counsel.
God willing, Tim will find what we talk about helpful.
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