Student Mentoring in the Philippines

I participated in the 1st National Conference on Student Mentoring entitled Shaping Young Minds and Hearts: Towards Integrative Coaching, Counseling and Mentoring. I can't help but write a few lines to give some feedback on the event.

Successful!

I must say it was successful in the same way, but in an analogical way, that the first major invasion of Allied forces against Germany in 1944 known as the D-Day was successful. The conference succeeded in establishing a beach-head in the hearts and minds of a significant number of teachers and administrators on the importance and need of a student mentoring program. Like the D-Day, it is important to follow-through with this success and push further towards popularizing student mentoring in the Philippine education sector.

I've read a book about D-Day and I learned of the large scale preparation and actual conduct of the invasion. It was very impressive! The conference was also impressive in many counts.

On the way to the first day of the conference, a co-worker, who was at the venue ahead of us, called to tell us the payment of the conference fee was not yet confirmed, we might not be able to go in at once. I was impressed by such strictness. But we were allowed entry, in the end, as along as our school's accounting office will send the needed documentation.

I was impressed by the high-ceiling-ed auditorium where the conference was held. I felt very special. I am sure the other participants also felt the same.

The title of each topics were thought provoking and were excellent punch-lines.

The speakers have impressive credentials and were all well-dressed. Their slide presentations were projected magnificently. The ushers, officers and organizers were also elegantly well-dressed which gave an impressive character to the conference.

The meals and snacks looked good and tasted good.

Drawbacks

In an analogically similar way, like the D-Day, the conference had casualties and mistakes. I already sent my feedback to the organizers on what, I think, did not go well.

Areas for improvements

But like D-Day, a follow-through activity in the coming months or another conference next year should be initiated to capitalize on the achievements gained from this conference. I also sent my suggestions for improving the activity.

Indeed, making student mentoring  part of the mainstream in the Philippine education sector is such a tall order. The achievements gained from this 1st Student Mentoring Conference, at great expense, will be wasted if no follow-up activities will be held in the coming months. A 2nd Student Mentoring Conference next year, at the very least, will be something to look forward to.