On September 9, Wuxi United International School held the 2026–2027 Mentor–Mentee Program Pairing Ceremony with the theme “From Indigo to Blue: Nurturing Excellence Together.”
Experienced teachers shared their knowledge and guidance, while young teachers brought fresh ideas, energy, and enthusiasm.
As the saying goes, “Indigo comes from the indigo plant, yet is bluer than the plant itself.”
At WUIS, the Mentor–Mentee Program has long been an important part of teacher development. Mentors support young teachers in building confidence and improving their teaching, while young teachers also bring new ideas and perspectives.
Through learning and sharing, mentors and mentees grow together and inspire one another.
A good partnership needs both warmth and clear responsibilities. During the ceremony, Ms. Cao Ni, Vice Principal of the International High School, introduced the roles and shared expectations of mentors and mentees. From classroom teaching to professional growth, and from daily communication to mutual inspiration, these clear expectations give the partnership a strong direction and make every lesson discussion and exchange part of their shared growth.
The 2026–2027 Mentor–Mentee Program then officially began. Mentors and mentees from the Primary School, Integrated Middle School, Bilingual Middle School, and International High School came on stage and signed their agreements together. With their signatures, they marked the beginning of a new journey of learning, sharing, and growing together.
There were two especially warm moments during the ceremony. Mentees presented tea to their mentors as a gesture of thanks for their future guidance and support. In return, mentors gave each young teacher a pot of seeds. Just as a seed needs sunlight, time, and patience to grow, so does a teacher. Through lesson planning, classroom practice, discussion, and reflection, young teachers will gradually take root and grow.
A cup of tea carries gratitude. A seed carries hope. These simple gestures made the mentor–mentee partnership even more meaningful.
During the four pairing sessions, Co-Principals Mr. Meng Xiaodong and Dr. Max, Vice Principal Ms. Zhang Xinyuan, and Vice Principal Ms. Cao Ni presented appointment certificates to the mentors from each division. Each certificate represents the school’s trust in its mentors, as well as their responsibility to guide, support, and pass on their experience.
How can lessons better match students’ learning pace? How can teaching plans better support the learning process? And how can teachers respond to students with different needs and abilities? Through co-planning, lesson observation, and reflection, the mentor and mentee will work together to find teaching approaches that better support their students.
Yu Ting & Miao Yiwen: Making Learning Happen
A good lesson always comes back to the students. What matters most is whether students are truly engaged, thinking deeply, and gaining new understanding. A good classroom should create real learning opportunities for every student.
Zhang Saijuan & Su Shun: Reflect, Plan, Keep Learning
Young teachers should build the habit of reflecting after each lesson, learning from both successes and challenges. They should also plan ahead for lessons, class matters, and communication with parents. Most importantly, they should keep learning and turn experience into professional growth.
Dinesh Kurup & Yang Wen: Timely, Honest, and Specific
Good communication should be timely, honest, and specific. When problems come up, mentors and mentees should talk openly and focus on real classroom situations and individual students. Mentors can offer practical advice, while mentees bring questions and reflections, making each conversation truly valuable.
At the end of the ceremony, Co-Principal Mr. Meng Xiaodong gave a closing speech and shared three expectations for mentors and mentees.
Mentors should not only share teaching methods and skills, but also help young teachers understand the ideas and values behind education. Mentees, in turn, should apply what they learn in the classroom and grow through practice.
Mentors should teach with patience, and mentees should never stop learning.
Mentors are encouraged to share generously and guide with patience, while mentees should take the initiative to ask, explore, and learn. With trust and support, both sides can continue to grow together.
“Through learning, we discover what we still lack; through teaching, we discover what we still need to improve.”
Learning helps us see our own gaps, while teaching brings new questions and challenges. The Mentor–Mentee Program allows both mentors and mentees to inspire and support each other, growing together through teaching and learning.
With the official launch of the 2026–2027 Mentor–Mentee Program, a new journey begins. Perhaps one day, a young teacher standing at the beginning of their career today will become a mentor to someone else, passing on the same patience, experience, and trust they once received.
One lesson leads to another. One teacher inspires another. One generation of educators supports the next.
This is what “From Indigo to Blue” means:
Someone leads, someone walks alongside; someone passes on experience, and someone creates something new.
May every mentor–mentee partnership help both sides grow, and may every seed planted today continue to grow at WUIS.
