SISI - Standards and Indicators

Standard 1 - Academic Performance - Curriculum
1.1e The school curriculum provides specific links to continuing education, life, and career options.

Standard 3 - Academic Performance - Instruction
3.1b Instructional strategies and learning activities are aligned with the district, school, and state learning goals and assessment expectations for student learning.

Standard 4 - Learning Environment – School Culture
4.1h There is evidence that the teachers and staff care about students and inspire their best efforts.
4.1k The school/district provides support for the physical, cultural, socio-economic, and intellectual needs of all students, which reflects a commitment to equity and an appreciation of diversity.

Standard 5 - Learning Environment – Student, Family and Community Support
5.1a Families and the community are active partners in the educational process and work together with the school/district staff to promote programs and services for all students.
5.1d Students are provided with a variety of opportunities to receive additional assistance to support their learning, beyond the initial classroom instruction.

Standard 6 - Learning Environment - Professional Growth Development and Evaluation
6.1e Professional development is on-going and job-embedded.

Standard 7 - Efficiency – Leadership
7.1g Leadership plans and allocates resources, monitors, progress, provides organizational infrastructure, and removes barriers in order to sustain continuous school improvement.
7.1h The school/district leadership provides the organizational policy and resource infrastructure necessary for the impelmentation and maintenance of a safe and effective learning environment.

Scenario

     The first time I met Alicia she was not only a newcomer to Lancaster Elementary School, but also to the United States.  She and her family had moved to Kentucky from Mexico. As a  third grade student, she faced enormous challenges; making new friends and completing homework, all in English, while she spoke only Spanish.  Having studied in Mexico as an adult, I felt like I understood what she was facing.

     I introduced myself to Alicia in faltering Spanish.  Sometimes when I spoke, the look on Alicia’s face told me that my Spanish was strange to her, so I would try it another way.  It didn’t matter that our oral communication was disconnected because our smiles and laughter communicated how we felt.

     Since Alicia had a tutor to help with homework and English, we spent most of our time playing games.  We started with number games like Dominoes and Trouble.  It was fun practicing both English and Spanish as we played these games.That’s how our conversations evolved-60 minutes of playing games using both languages.  For Christmas, I found books for her written in English and Spanish.  I liked getting practice in Spanish, but I rejoiced in knowing Alicia’s English vocabulary was growing.

     When Alicia returned to school in January, she spoke to me in English only.  In four and a half months, she adapted to the school and to the language.  Alicia is now in the fifth grade.  We talk about what she wants to be when she grows up. During one particular  week she wants to become a television newscaster and the next week, her focus changes and she shares ideas of becomming a Math teacher.  She sings in the choir and recently participated in a Veteran’s Day program where she learned to sing “This Is My Country". It is obvious that Alicia is thriving in her new school and culture.

     She still speaks Spanish with her mother, although her Spanish vocabulary and writing skills are not developing at the rate expected by her mother. I have now begun encouraging her to keep up her Spanish, explaining that not many girls have an opportunity to understand and use two languages. 

Introduction

What is it that this school is doing to help Alicia feel successful? The answer may seem obvious at first:  provide more individual attention, more encouragement and support. At a time when teachers are faced with overwhelming demands and increasingly diverse student needs, this solution may not appear  realistic.  However, as is illustrated by this scenario, there are ways to provide for students like Alicia without placing greater demands on the classroom teacher.

One strategy that has received attention during the last decade is mentoring.  Mentoring refers to pairing adult or older student volunteers with children or youth who are having cultural, social or academic difficulties, and are at risk of dropping out.  Mentoring programs provide friends who are personally involved in student’s success and who can  encourage them to attend class , complete school assignments,and participate in school activities.

Students having academic or social adjustment problems, e.g. failure in school, low self-esteem, and language differences, benefit from mentoring programs through the personal involvement of friends (mentors).  Mentoring is one of the strategies recognized as an effective practice for at-risk students because it can be designed to meet individual needs.

Although the majority of existing school-mentoring programs target middle and high school students, some programs work primarily with elementary school students.  They operate on the belief that “personal attention should begin early-before poor study habits or negative behavior have a chance to become well-established and potentially destructive.”

Structured Mentoring Programs

Although mentoring occurs in many different formats and settings, most mentoring relationships can benefit from a structured program of support.

The following are examples of structured programs, according to Schargel, Franklin,Smink, and Jay, in Strategies to Help Solve Our School Dropout Problem, 2001.

• Traditional Mentoring (school or community-based such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America)
• Group mentoring or Co-Mentoring (AmeriCorps Chapters)
• Peer Mentoring (Pairing of older/younger students, Boys & Girls Clubs)
• Intergenerational Mentoring (Retired seniors/teachers; foster grandparents)
• Team Mentoring (foster parents; faith based programs)
  

Return to Top

Strategies

The success of any mentoring program depends largely on planning and supervision of the program, administrative/teacher support, and appropriate matching of mentor and student.  View the following sections for more information:

Best Practices
Recruiting Mentors
Training Mentors

Best Practices
     To maximize the probability of success, consider the following “best practices” identified by researchers and experienced staff involved in mentoring programs.

• Allocatate ample time to organize and structure the program.  It takes time to establish a group of committed, reliable mentors. (McPartland & Nettles, 1991)
• Identify school needs and the program’s target students.  Determine goals and objectives for the program.
• Plan for the program to last at least one full school year.  If possible, mentors should meet with the students they are helping for an hour or more each week.  (Crockett & Smink, 1991)
• Identify resources (staff, volunteers) and schedule periods of time for discussions, planning, and procedures.  Mentoring programs are more successful if the mentors have been carefully selected and have been involved in preparation sessions on mentoring techniques prior to meeting with students.
• Avoid making the student feel they are chosen because something is wrong with them or because they are a “problem” student (Crockett & Smink, 1991).  Be creative in your approach and keep the program positive and rewarding for all involved.
• Inform parents of the mentoring program and the positive benefits it can provide their child.  (This information should be presented in a way that will not cause the parent(s) to feel they are inadequate as a parent.)
• Plan a way to positively reinforce ALL mentors.  Ideas for reinforcement might include:  certificates, T-shirts, pizza party, receptions, and verbal or written praise and recognition. 
• Communicate that serving as a mentor is a worthwhile and important activity and can make a difference for students struggling with success in school and in life.

Recruiting Mentors
     According to the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NREL, http://www.nwrel.org/request/sept98/article3.html), procedures for recruiting mentors should include the following:

• Identify the qualities you are looking for in mentors and the expectations of the program, such as, how much time mentors need to commit to the program, what skills and/or experiences they need to possess.  Mentors need to have positive “people skills” and dependability.
• Decide where you will look for mentors.  Do you want to recruit mentors from within the school (teachers, administrators, older students), from the community (volunteers from local business, churches, community organizations, colleges, etc.), or from both the school and the community?
• Solicit volunteers.  Advertising on the radio and in newspapers, posting fliers around the community, and speaking to community groups are ways to attract volunteers.

Training Mentors
     Quality orientation and training for mentors is essential to the success of any mentoring/tutoring program (Grossman & Gary, 1997; Sipe, 1996)

• Establish mentoring program goals and objectives (NYSMP, 1991)
• Select strategies for developing effective mentoring relationships.
• Communicate methods of building trust with mentees (Smink, 1991)
• Discuss listening and communication skills, how to use corrective feedback and positive reinforcement.
• Present basic information on child and youth development, such as reasonable expectations of specific age groups, issues/challenges facing targeted age groups, and different learning styles of students.
• Include cultural awareness and diversity training (National Mentoring Partnership (NMP, 1991, http://www.mentoring.org).
  

Return to Top

Barriers

     While mentoring has been shown to have numerous positive impacts for students, mentors, and schools, it is important to remember that mentoring is not a "fix-all" strategy. Mentoring alone cannot remedy all of the social and environmental factors which contribute to poor student attendance, performance, self-esteem, and behavior (Smink, 1990). In their two-year study of Project RAISE, a mentoring program for at-risk middle school students in Delaware, McPartland and Nettles (1991) found that while the effects of the mentoring program were "sizable, [they] were not sufficient to neutralize the academic risks with which students entered the program" (p. 568). Although middle school students who participated in Project RAISE improved attendance and report card grades in English, they remained below district averages in attendance, standardized test scores, subject grades and retention rates. Researchers emphasize that mentoring programs ,targeting low-performing and at-risk students, are most effective when offered in conjunction with other social and academic services geared toward improving student performance and addressing students’ individual needs (Mosqueda & Palaich, 1990).

Return to Top

Resources

 

1.National Dropout Prevention Center
http://www.dropoutprevention.org
(Go to stats and facts, solutions and solutions and strategies, then to mentoring/tutoring.)
This center functions as a clearinghouse and research center, providing technical assistance on issues related to school reform and dropout prevention.  The National Dropout Prevention Network was created to provide linkages between educators, communities, researchers, parents, and the private sector.

2.National Mentoring Partnership
http://www.mentoring.org
You may reprint for personal use provided you list the sources.  Public use requests to reproduce articles for commercial or public use must be made in writing to:  community@mentoring.org This organization (formerly known as The One to One Partnership, Inc.) is an advocate for the expansion of mentoring and a resource for mentors and mentoring initiatives nationwide. Its mission is to increase the availability of responsible personal and economic mentoring for America's youth

 3. http://www.mentoring.org/common/effectivementoringpractices
A “nuts and bolts” planning document of mentoring

4. http://www.delawarementoring.org Delaware Mentoring Council
Resources for mentoring program.  Discusses mentoring:  how to start/run a program; how to find/become a mentor, and mentor training.

5. http://www.youthstartswithyou.org
This training program teaches adult volunteers about mentoring troubled children in the elementary and middle school age range.

6.The ABC’s of Mentoring Kit
This is an excellent resource to introduce businesses and other potential partner organizations to mentoring.  Information is included from experienced volunteer mentors that will help others develop and maintain a mentor program.  This kit includes a general guide for building the program, including an introductory video, models of handouts to be used in the program, and even a sample logo.  This kit provides an excellent overall framework for establishing a mentoring program.  Should you want more information about the ABC’s of Mentoring Kit, call 800-272-8306.

7.The Mentoring Guidebook
This is one of the best resources in the field with proven results.  Issues are addressed relating to designing, implementing, and coordinating a successful mentoring program.  Use it to guide you throughout the entire process, from needs assessment and recruiting of both mentors and protégé’s to training and recognition.  The Mentoring Guidebook is available from the National Dropout Prevention Center, 205 Martin Street, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0726, (864) 65-2599.

8.Elements of Effective Practice
This is an excellent resource produced by One to One/The National Mentoring Partnership.  This nuts and bolts checklist for mentoring programs is a vital tool to use in reviewing the basic standard components of the program.  Write or call:  One to One/The National Mentoring Partnership, 2801 M Street MW, Washington, DC  20007, 202-3338-3844.

9.National Mentoring Technical Assistance Corps Directory 1997
This national network has identified some of the foremost experts in the field of mentoring, strategic planning, leadership development, community collaboration, and fundraising, to assist mentoring programs.  The consultants listed in this directory can provide technical assistance in a variety of ways.  One to One/The Mentoring Partnership has established a website on the World Wide Web.  One can access the entire directory on this site:  www.mentoring.org.  This directory is found under Organizations, Resources, and Experts.

10. Northeast Regional Educational Laboratory
http://www.nwrel.org/request/sept98/articles3.html
This article includes specific guidance for designing and implementing a mentoring program:  What makes mentoring work, references, and guidebooks for developing mentoring programs are available at this internet site.

11. Peer Mentoring
http://www.nurel.org/mentoring/peer.html
This site provides research/reports, program guides, volunteer management, peer mentoring/cross-age tutoring, funding resources, vocational mentoring and organizations.

12.National Dropout Prevention Center
http://www.dropoutprevention.org (Go to stats, solutions and strategies, then to mentoring/tutoring.) The center functions as a clearinghouse and research center, providing technical assistance on issues related to school reform and dropout prevention.  The National Dropout Prevention Network was created to provide linkages between educators, communities, researchers, parents and the private sector.

13. National Mentoring Partnership
http://www.mentoring.org
You may want to reprint for personal use, provided you list the sources.  Public use requests to reproduce articles for commercial or public use must be made in writing to:  communit@mentoring.org The organization (formerly known as the One to One Partnership, Inc.) is an advocate for the expansion of mentoring and a resource for mentors and mentoring initiatives nationwide.  Its mission is to increase the availability of responsible personal and economic mentoring for America’s youth.

14. http://www.caseylifeskills.org
This site lists free resources, including Life Skills assessment, Life Skills Guidebook, and Ready, Set, Fly!  These life and daily living skills and material maybe helpful for developing mentor/mentee relationships.

15. http://www.mentoring.org/be-a-better-mentor/things-to-do.adp
This provides a variety of  mentoring ideas which may act  as a springboard to find new ways for a mentor and mentee to work together.

16.Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America mentoring program

 http://www.bbsa.org

17.Strategies to Help Solve School Dropout Problem
Schargel, Franklin P. and Smink, Jay (2001), Strategies to Help Solve Our School Dropout Problem, Eye on Education, 6 Depot Way West, Suite 106, Larchmont, N.Y. 10538, pp. 79-99. The chapter on mentoring includes: why adolescents need mentors, a variety of structured mentoring programs, goals and expected benefits of mentoring, key components of a mentoring program, planning a mentoring program, limits and concerns, and examples of effective programs and practices.

18. Resources cited from Strategies to Help Solve Our School Dropout Problem (Schargel & Smink) 2001 (pg. 96-98)

19. Negative School Attitudes in Post-secondary School Scholarships
The Norwalk Mentor Program began in 1986 as a school-based mentor programs for elementary and middle school students who lacked self-esteem and had negative attitudes about school, motivation, and the need for positive role models for students.  For more information:  Donna E. Custer, Coordinator, Norwalk Mentor Program, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06852, (203) 854-4011

20.Telementoring with Students Interested in Math and Science
The Hewlett-Packard (HP) Telementor Program is a program in which the Hewlett-Packard employees volunteer to mentor fifth through twelfth grade students.  The focus of this program is to help students excel in math and science, with a particular emphasis on career exploration.  For more information:  David Neils, International Telementor Center, 3919 Benthaven Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80526, (970) 206-9352, davidn@telementoring.org

21.Kentucky Department of Education

www.kyschools.org

This is the Kentucky Department of Education's website. You can choose Dropout prevention from the area of interest menu and know more information about the dropout rate,the Dropout prevention standards, and much more.

Kentucky Programs

Peers Tutoring Peers, Eisenhower Elementary, Jefferson County
Intermediate students tutor second and third grade readers for 45 minutes per week.  The volunteer Talent Center trains tutors with prepared material sand suggested techniques.  For more information:  Terry Humphrey, Eisenhower Elementary, 5300 Jessamine Lane, Louisville, KY 40258, (502)485-8244

Peer mediation/Mentoring (Service Learning Mentoring Site), Augusta Independent Schools
The Augusta Independent Schools have begun peer mediation on the junior high/high school levels and student mentoring at both the elementary and junior high/high school levels.  In the elementary grades, they developed the “Adopt-A-Classroom” project.  This program was open for preschool-grade 7.  Preschool was adopted by kindergarten, kindergarten by first grade, first grade by second grade, second by third, third by fourth, fourth by fifth and so on.  Each student was assigned a mentoring buddy to follow them throughout the 2001-2002 school year and to better prepare them for requirements of the coming grade.  For more information:  Phyllis Reed, Community Director, (606) 756-2105

Love a Child Mentoring Program (Service Learning Mentor Site), Henry Co. Schools
This program provides a one-on-one adult volunteer mentoring service for at-risk students in both Henry Co. and Eminence Independent.  Mentors assist students with both academic and social behaviors.  For more information:  Leslie Purvis, KY Incentive Program (KIP), Assistant Director, (502) 845-8100.

Students Helping Other Eminence Students (SHOES) (Service Learning Mentoring Site), Eminence Independent Schools.  This program involves 30 high school students who work with middle and elementary students for approximately 40 minutes each morning.  The high school students received training on tutoring and mentoring.  The mentees were chosen by their teachers and have parent approval. A daily log is kept by the mentors and read by the teachers so that preparations can be made for additional help.  For more information:  Jean Tischner, FRYSC Director, (502)849-5427.

Big brothers/Big Sisters, Teen Outreach Program (TOP), Warren Co. Schools
This mentoring program utilizes high school students as mentors for a neighboring elementary after-school program.  Students were interviewed by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters staff and matched with elementary students.  The “Teen Outreach Program” grant was received from the Department of Public Health.

Fourth Street Elementary School, Newport Independent

This school has a high population of free and reduced lunch students and continues to close the achievement gap. A community mentoring program utilizes local business people to work with students at school. The coordinator of the program has lesson plans available for each student so that mentors will know what the student needs at that time.

 

 

 

 

Return to Top

Key Words

traditional mentoring, group mentoring, peer mentoring, intergenerational mentoring, team mentoring, partnership, mentoring

Return to Top