Barhi's Mentoring Questionnaire
What do you enjoy most about mentoring?
Watching people grow and develop in their knowledge and love for Egypt, and that point when they have the confidence to answer other people's questions.
What do you find most difficult about mentoring?
The occassional choice between losing a batch of cc and answering a question.
Where do you find it easier to mentor - on the island or the mainland, and why?
Each place has a very different mentoring style. On the island, it is a matter of getting the right balance, telling them enough about Egypt to spur people on to get off the island and to explore Egypt, without confusing them while they are learning the basiscs. On the mainland, it is about supporting them and helping them find the path that they want to follow. I don't find either place easier, just different.
How would you describe your mentoring style?
Supportive
Whats the most important thing to teach / do for a new player?
How to do things for themselves. I have seen a growing trend for people to think they are mentoring but actually they are just giving things to players. The worst example was someone who was about to build an obelisk and didn't even know what type they were building. This leaves them dependant on the mentor and unable to develop and explore what Egypt can be for them. It is key that players understand Eypgt for themselves. In time, they can run around and get piles of clay etc - if they want to. Mentees are not slaves.
Whats the best, or easiest, kind of student to teach?
One who wants to learn and is happy to explore things (and read the wiki) for themselves.
What problems have you encountered while mentoring, and how were they resolved?
None while actually mentoring, but we did get a guildie whose behaviour upset other guild members. We resolved this with a guild vote (and independant teller) on whether the person should stay in the guild. To avoid this sort of thing happening in the future, we founded the
Windward Ways College.
The College has been a very effective way of allowing new Citizens to develop in Egypt, whilst still being in a protected atmosphere. They have access to the buildings they need to get started without being confused by the wide array of buildings in the game, they get to ask (and get answered the questions) that they need without being thrown into the full hurly burly of guild chat and the confusion that can bring. We make use of the level system to both provide guidance as to when students should graduate to the main guild and when mentors are ready to mentor. We do not give students anything other than advice and flax seeds, but we do have very reasonable Trade terms for the items they need to get them started.
What makes you a 'good' mentor?
You are best to ask my mentees that