The old Tarot Mentoring Program is changing its name. The Vice-President of Education will now be assigning Tarot Tutors to members who would like someone to assist them in their chosen method of learning Tarot. We are changing the name to avoid any confusion with the mentors of the Free Reading Network and the Free Tarot Network. The education division of the ATA will also be clarifying the duties of a Tarot Tutor. Any individual wishing to work beyond these expectations is welcomed to do so; however, in order to avoid any misunderstanding between tutor and student, it is necessary to set some guidelines.

My past experience in assigning mentors revealed a few facts that only became evident through years of trial and error. One pattern I noticed was that people were requesting a mentor and never contacting them or utilizing them. This pattern of activity was primarily due to people requesting a mentor and not really analyzing if they really needed one. It is my hope that these new guidelines will help new students decide if a tutor is right for them.

On the other side of the mentor-student partnership, I found out that mentors were doing everything from answering simple questions for their students to teaching complete classes over the internet. If a mentor was teaching an entire class, they could take very few students. Other mentors felt pressured to provide classes for free to their students, even though they taught these classes commercially. Starting anew, the Tutor (not Mentor) program will follow these very simple guidelines.

A Tarot Tutor:

A Tarot Tutor is not:

Over the next few months, I will be recruiting Tarot Tutors and reestablishing contacts with the past Tarot Mentors. Anyone still being mentored will continue with that mentor in whatever capacity the two of you have established. After I have my Tarot Tutors recruited, I will send a message out to the membership to find out who would like a Tutor assigned.

Please contact me at vpeducation@ata-tarot.com if you would like to be a tutor. Let me know how many students you would be willing to tutor, a brief description of your experience including how you use tarot (personal growth, reading for others, teaching, etc.). In the fall, I will begin gathering information on students who wish to have a tutor and setting up tutorial partnerships.

It is my hope to revive a very valuable part of the ATA educational program. The Mentor program was vital to my growth in Tarot and my hope is that it will again offer the backup needed to overcome the stumbling blocks all Tarot students encounter.