Tell them. Explain the objective to be learned. Use "keys" - the essential points of the content that will form a memory structure for the future reference. Statistics show that children remember 20 percent of what they hear.

Show them. Actually demonstrate the objective. Emphasize the main points and answer questions. This builds credibility for you, the process and the total system. Children remember 50 percent of what they see.

Have them show back. Have the student repeat the process and actually teach it back to you. This provides assurance that they understand the "what" and "why" of the objective and builds commitment to properly execute the task. We learn best by teaching. As the student teaches you, it further locks the learning into his or her mind. Seventy to 90 percent of children retain what they experience by doing.

Teach them how to evaluate themselves. Show the student what results are expected and evaluated. Encourage the student to do his/her own evaluation and be accountable for his/her own learning. Use this opportunity to be a "coach" and praise those parts of the task which were done well. Let them know you want to catch them doing things right.

The power of the mentor-mentee process is that it uses repetition and immediate feedback. It sets the student up for success. By allowing you to invest personal time in the student, it helps you demonstrate your beliefs in action.

"We learn to build houses by building houses; to play the harp by playing the harp; to be just by doing just acts." - Aristotle