Mentoring and teaching

The difference between mentoring and teaching lies in the emphasis between relationship and curriculum. A teacher often passes on a particular knowledge or skill within a defined program; the relationship is the vehicle of that transmission. In mentoring, the relationship comes first, and learning is often shaped not by a predefined curriculum but by the mentee's need of the moment. Teaching is knowledge-centered, mentoring is person-centered. One teaches a subject, the other accompanies a journey.