Checklist for Mentorying New Beeks

[kathyp]

I find being a mentor easier if I remember that beekeeping is the new beeks hobby not mine (we just have the same common hobby.)

that's sort of brilliant!

[AliciaH]

You guys are AWESOME!  There is so much here to work with!  At first, mentoring seems like such a simple concept.  But I have found that it isn't always so.  You have to be good at really listening to your apprentice (thanks, Mike!) because when you do, you pick up really fast who is a self-starter and who is going to need a lot more help.  And sometimes it's hard to put yourself back into that first year. 

Those of us in our softmore/junior years of beekeeping are adding things to our inspection routines because we've found it decreases problems down the line.  But it's not until someone like iddee comes along and hits you over the head with a hive tool and says, "Nope, think about that one again!" (see earlier in this thread -- thanks again, iddee!), that we realize we've even done it!

Hence the checklist.  Now that mentoring is mandatory for our journeyman beekeeping students, we can't afford to take some of these things for granted like that!  In being the mentorship coordinator for our club, I just want to make this process a bit easier for all parties, and you guys have definitely helped me on that path!

Thanks, Everyone!