Module 4: Abstracting

Abstracting is the ability to dismiss detail and specifics in order to identify the most foundational element. At first I had difficulty trying to identify a single element of my themes that would represent the whole. However after re-reading and identifying specific words (i.e., key element, critical essence, essential quality) the choice of what to represent became quite clear. Above all else, the most important element in Mentoring programs as an effective practice for Chinese international students is the student themself. No other element would exist without the student. The students, their persistence and success are at the heart of what I do. Without the student, there would be no mentoring programs or best practices.

The following image represents my thought process in attempting to Abstract my theme:

 my theme:

I compiled this first image because it represents the multiple and diverse themes peer mentoring programs attempt to support students in. Additionally, this image serves as a reminder of all of the different directions students are pushed and pulled, in other words the range of venues that create additional support and/or stressors for students. I intentionally made the image of the student both visually the largest element of the image as well as the center of the image. I did this to demonstrate that the student should be both the most important aspect and at the center of what student affairs professionals do. For example, collaboration with academic affairs (represented by “school” in the image) is vitally important, however the reason it is important is to understand what is being taught in the classroom in order to create a seamless learning environment for the student in which their learning is connected and authentic. 

Students have multiple obligations in which they are constantly prioritizing and re-prioritizing. Time is a limited resource, and professionals must be aware that what we may believe to be the most beneficial use a student’s time and energy may not be what they believe to be the best use of their time. Often times as professionals we make assumptions based on a limited knowledge of our students and their lives, this knowledge has only been acquired by what students choose tells us. Students may be juggling a range of obligations on their own, obligations that professionals may be completely unaware of. As professionals, we need to not only understand a student’s choice to independently address challenges, but also respect and support it. This next video, all though not created by me, demonstrates the above point. It shares students and their stories, their life experiences that have shaped who they are and how they view their world. As professionals we may not have this information, but the key element, the critical essence, the essential quality remains: students and their success.