Mentoring for innovation

Help young innovators turn curiosity into confidence.

Successful young innovators report they had a mentor who guided, supported and motivated them throughout the innovation process.

Begin Training Watch Inventor Mentors

Adult mentor guiding young learners during a science activity

GuideAsk, listen and encourage

MotivateSupport the invention process

Two ways to continue

Learn the mentoring model. Then bring it to life.

Choose the self-paced training experience or use short videos to spark conversations with young inventors.

Self-directed training

Mentor Training Modules

This free training was collaboratively developed by The Center for Digital Literacy at Syracuse University and The Center for Mentoring Leadership in Phoenix, Arizona as part of the IMLS-funded project School Libraries as Innovation Spaces, School Librarians as Innovation Mentors.

It includes an introduction, six online self-paced learning modules, active learning opportunities, a recap, quizzes and assessments.

6 learning modules Reflection activities Quizzes & assessments

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Discussion starter videos

The Inventor Mentors

The video series is designed to help educators spark discussions about the invention process. Successful young inventors share experiences and advice with aspiring or beginning inventors.

Use the short videos to stimulate interest in youth invention activities or within school and public library lessons and programs.

Young inventor voices Invention challenges Discussion starters

The Inventor Mentors videos!

The mentoring model

Built on research and adapted for young innovators.

The mentoring model presented in the training was originally developed by Dr. Lois Zachary and adapted for school librarian–K–12 student mentoring by Dr. Ruth Small, incorporating work by Dr. John Keller and Dr. Tony Wagner.

To learn more about the origins of this model, watch the two-part interview with Dr. Zachary.

Explore referenced works in Supporting Innovation

Ready to begin?

Choose your mentoring pathway.

Start the structured training or jump directly into videos designed to support conversations with young inventors.

Begin Training Inventor Mentors videos