Mentoring 8th Grader?

[Viathelens]

I have agreed to mentor an 8th grader for her 8th grade graduation project, on photography of course. I have done some research, have made some notes and outlines, and purchased a book that is supposedly geared toward teenagers. I know all the subjects to talk about, the basics, etc. but I think photography is a lot more than the exposure triangle and equipment. I don't want to get too complex but I also don't want to be too simple...but I do consider photography to be a complex subject. When I read what 8th graders were studying I started thinking that maybe she will already know a lot more than I do? Any ideas or recommendations?

 

[Rassie]

I take some key words from what you wrote:
You are going to mentor (as opposed to teach). Sounds to me that she will already know all the basics that she needs to know to complete her project, so I would view this as you providing oversight and suggesting improvements on what she does, rather than trying to teach her more than what she already knows. Since it's her graduation project, I see you in an oversight role, helping her achieve the best results in what she is trying to do. Sounds to me her focus in this case is not to learn as much as possible about photography. Rather, she has a very specific task to achieve. Applying your own practical experience and knowledge learned though the years, that's where you can make the difference - those things not taught in text books.

 

[Viathelens]

I take some key words from what you wrote:
You are going to mentor (as opposed to teach). Sounds to me that she will already know all the basics that she needs to know to complete her project, so I would view this as you providing oversight and suggesting improvements on what she does, rather than trying to teach her more than what she already knows. Since it's her graduation project, I see you in an oversight role, helping her achieve the best results in what she is trying to do. Sounds to me her focus in this case is not to learn as much as possible about photography. Rather, she has a very specific task to achieve. Applying your own practical experience and knowledge learned though the years, that's where you can make the difference - those things not taught in text books.

Thanks for your insights on this. I think, in this case though, she does also needs to learn the basics of photography.

 

[abc123brian]

I’ve been doing some mentoring to a 16 year old. I think it is important to find out what they are interested in shooting and make sure to explain the basics in a way they will be able to apply to that type of photography. It can be difficult to understand the exposure triangle and you don’t want her to think this is too complex to ever understand. I bring a manual lens to show aperture so they can see the opening physical change size and it makes it easier to understand it reduces light. I also explain that the smaller aperture is sort of like squinting your eyes to see farther away. Try to make it fun.

 

[MartyD]

I would not hesitate to contact the school and ask for a little guidance. I would expect them to have some guidelines and written expectations for both the student and the mentor. I would also ask if there is a grading rubric associated with the project to help you know the expectations for the final project. I would expect the student to have an advisor that can offer you some insight into the ability of the student as well as their strengths and weakness. Use any resources you can to help make your mentoring fit the needs and abilities of the student.

Middle School students are at that age when they can handle some responsibility but they need structure to keep then on task and focused. Spend some time doing an initial assessment of their abilities and have them express to you what they want to learn. They may have strong creative and artistic skills and need technical understanding to move beyond their cell phone, or maybe they already have good technical skills. The best case is the student knows exactly what they want to learn and all you have to do is guide them. If they just picked photography because they thought it looked fun then you will have to design a more comprehensive plan.

Thanks for taking this on, teaching is a great experience!

 

[Viathelens]

I’ve been doing some mentoring to a 16 year old. I think it is important to find out what they are interested in shooting and make sure to explain the basics in a way they will be able to apply to that type of photography. It can be difficult to understand the exposure triangle and you don’t want her to think this is too complex to ever understand. I bring a manual lens to show aperture so they can see the opening physical change size and it makes it easier to understand it reduces light. I also explain that the smaller aperture is sort of like squinting your eyes to see farther away. Try to make it fun.

Thanks, yes, I was thinking along those lines so good to hear your input.

 

[Viathelens]

I would not hesitate to contact the school and ask for a little guidance. I would expect them to have some guidelines and written expectations for both the student and the mentor. I would also ask if there is a grading rubric associated with the project to help you know the expectations for the final project. I would expect the student to have an advisor that can offer you some insight into the ability of the student as well as their strengths and weakness. Use any resources you can to help make your mentoring fit the needs and abilities of the student.

Middle School students are at that age when they can handle some responsibility but they need structure to keep then on task and focused. Spend some time doing an initial assessment of their abilities and have them express to you what they want to learn. They may have strong creative and artistic skills and need technical understanding to move beyond their cell phone, or maybe they already have good technical skills. The best case is the student knows exactly what they want to learn and all you have to do is guide them. If they just picked photography because they thought it looked fun then you will have to design a more comprehensive plan.

Thanks for taking this on, teaching is a great experience!

Thanks for your comments. The school was not very helpful but I was able to find some information online. It is a private school. I have discussed my idea for the final project with the parents and they agreed so they will direct her with that. And I did talk to her, she said she "wanted to learn how to operate the camera." So I plan to show her one of my cameras and talk about it but mostly go with a point and shoot or even one of those teen cameras with an instant photo. I'm thinking that whatever I do will help her move forward with the project but I thought that hearing from people who have taught teens before would be a good idea.

 

[MartyD]

You might look for some cell phone tools. I know on the recent iPhones in portrait mode you can change f-stop. I also have a camera on my iPhone that allows me to change shutter speed and it will display the change in iso, it will also show the color temp. These might be useful to demonstrate some concepts.

 

[Palouse]

Have her keep a journal in which she can records ideas, learning, settings, reactions, opinions, etc., etc.

 

[Viathelens]

Thanks to all for your comments, advice. I am much more familiar with puppies and kittens than teenagers! Should be an interesting experience for both of us! I have taught before, Lightroom at a junior college to adults, but my first experience with a teenager.

 

[Flyboy]

Some of us make photography harder than it really needs to be. KEEP IT SIMPLE! The "Exposure triangle" is the basis for all photography, but depending upon her maturity and actual interest in the subject, very basic may be all she needs or wants to complete her project. Short attention spans... I found that even among college freshman in photo classes I taught in another lifetime. Use plenty of visual aids, showing what you are talking about, and for sure using a simple camera, and "P" for Professional, if warranted!