While working with Lenoir Community College, my mentor contact at the college was Gary Clements. He set me up to work with different departments within the college after our initial exploration of the many programs and offerings of LCC. Within these departments, I frequently found myself referring back to David Jones in robotics. While working with Mr. Jones, I was allowed to sit in on classes, have one on one instruction on learning new skills such as soldering and robotics, and was then left to practice and improve on my own. Working with Mr. Jones was comparable to learning new skills with my dad and grandfather back on the farm when I was younger. Everyday he had new equipment pulled out for me to work with, and new resources to explore. He gave me just enough information to make me want to know more, and then left me alone to figure it out for myself. Why was this method so beneficial for me? Two reasons – #1, it made me realize that I could in fact learn and successfully work with these new tools and skill sets. #2, it reminded me of what I need to do more with my students. I need to get more comfortable with handing the reins over to the students on their own learning and skill sets. I need to be less of a “helicopter teacher” and allow them to make mistakes and learn by doing (and trying again after you fail). It was also much less stressful when learning a new skill when no one was there to see my horrible first attempts. I was able to see my progress in my work samples, and was able to show my mentor that same progress when he checked in – and I was proud! I need to hold on to that memory and remember to use it more often in my classroom. I plan to continue this partnership throughout the school year, and I imagine it will last long past that as well. We have plans for me to be able to come out again over the next summer, and the learning will continue from there.