The term “mentoring” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1886. It is defined as “The action or process of acting as a mentor; the relationship between a mentor and his or her disciple.”
In ancient Greece, the philosopher Socrates is often considered one of the earliest mentors. He engaged in dialogues with his disciples, encouraging them to think critically and explore their ideas. In ancient Rome, apprenticeships were common in various crafts and trades, where experienced artisans mentored younger individuals in their craft.
Over the centuries, Mentorship continued to play a role in education. Philosophers and thinkers often took on proteges, guiding them in intellectual pursuits. The late 20th century saw the emergence of formal mentoring programs in various sectors, including academia, business, and non-profit organizations. Corporate mentoring programs gained popularity as companies recognized the value of pairing junior employees with experienced mentors to facilitate skill development and career advancement.
When you read this, your mind tends to think that this is what teachers also do, then how is mentoring different? Not only teaching, there exists a lot of confusion between Mentoring & Coaching too.
The main differences between teaching, coaching, and mentoring lie in their goals, approaches, and the nature of the relationship between the educator and the learner. Teaching emphasizes content delivery, coaching focuses on skill improvement and goal achievement, and mentoring centres on guidance based on personal experiences. Each approach has its own strengths and applications, and they can complement each other in various learning and developmental contexts.
They are all possible ways of learning something new. Depending on your need, you could go for a teacher, mentor or coach or all of them.