the road to peer mentoring: what do we do with these kids? jennifer roskelley & jerilyn smith...
TRANSCRIPT
The Road to Peer Mentoring: What do
we do with these KIDS?
Jennifer Roskelley & Jerilyn Smith
“I wanted to join the Peer Mentoring Program because I’m new to the school and wanted to make friends”
What is Peer Mentors? Mentoring program to get students involved and connect to
school
Promotes positive and supportive relationships
Student driven
Collaboration between age levels and schools
Opportunity for students to build relationships, mentor others and make a difference
Academic, social-emotional, interactive, fine arts and self-expression activities
Targeting 1-4 grade student who have been identified as “at risk”
“I am the youngest and always wanted a little sibling.”
Selection- Mentors
Open to all 7th and 8th grade students
After school club
Must be dedicated and committed
Review of application (see copy of application in handout)
“My mentee is A LOT like me, my friends in the club see us together and they say she is a mini me!”
Selection- Mentees
Teacher evaluations
WCSD Behavior screening Rank Form Adapted from Walker & Severson, 1991
~6 weeks into the school year
All students
5 “externalizers”
5 “internalizers”
Top 3 “internalizers” from each class were selected
Other students referred as needed
“The first time I met my mentee I thought that he was really quite, but as we went along we got to be close and it’s been a lot of fun”
Training Positive feedback/specific
praise
Talking with children/ open-ended questions
Basic development skills at each age level
Role Playing
Creating weekly activities (monthly themes)
Create journals and name tags
“Mentee wish list”
Peer mentor representative election
What to Change
How to handle “bad” kids
How to work with 2 mentees and spend time equally with them
Conversation starters
“My first day I thought, Oh my goodness this kid is CRAZY!”
ActivitiesMonthly themes Skittles- get to know you game Sledding Bingo Balloon Pop Puppet Show Flower planting Partner reading Word Puzzles Brain teasers Reading
Crafts Finger painting Snowman craft Tree personalizer Sugar cube castles
Cookie decorating Cards
Loved ones I’m thankful for…
“The first day with my mentee I felt confused and awkward”
Journals Mentor-created journals
Weekly Behavior/Participation Rankings, 1 – 5 for tracking
Weekly “journal starters” “Today, me and my mentee . . .”
“I enjoyed . . .”
“One thing I want to change is . . .”
“Something I need to work on is . . .”
“One thing I taught my mentee is . . .”
“One thing my mentee taught me is . . .”
“Today I learned that . . .”
“Something I want to try with my mentee is . . .”
“The biggest challenge/success I had this week was . . .”
“My mentee taught me no matter how much older (or bigger) you can find your best friend anywhere.”
Celebrating the Mentors
Root beer Floats Candy bars End of year
celebration Mentor of the Day Journal Sharing Perfect Attendance
“I have taught my mentee to communicate and talk to people”
Relationships Formed Academic Successes
“I helped my mentee learn her 11’s times tables today!”
Bonding “One thing that I got of Peer Mentors today that I didn’t expect was
creating a bond.”
Similarities discovered Interests
“Today I learned that my mentee is an amazing performer. (from a performer)”
Fears
“One thing I learned about my mentee today is that he gets stressed easily, just like me. The bus bell rang and he was very worried that he wouldn’t get there in time because the door was locked. I do things like that too.”
“I loved the first day because her and I just loved each other, she gave me a hug on the first day when she had to leave”
What we found out in the end- Mentor Results Training
21% Kind of helpful
58% Helpful
21% Very helpful
94% felt prepared to work with their Mentee
97% felt they made a connection with their Mentee
What to change…
Classroom experience-Packets
More organization
Start sooner!
Class instead of a club
Mentees fill out a questionnaire to help the mentors get to know them better
Positive feedback
Basic developmental skills at each age level
Open ended questions
Monthly planning activities
“Two of the best things I think have happened during peer mentors is truly getting to know your kid and having a connection with them”
Mentors VS Mentees Overall Experience
Mentors
Not Good So-So Fair Good Awesome
Mentee
Not Good OK Good!
“They taught me how to laugh at my mistakes and enjoy the little things you’d miss if you weren’t paying attention.”
How to make it your own…
Find your area of need
Team approach
Collaboration
Encourage the students to create the program
Cross grade level, cross schools, cross abilities etc.
Get creative
Just go with it and have fun
Change and adapt as you go
“I got to help this student/child with friend-making skills and I loved how I know that they knew that I was always there to help with school related or personal problems”
What was the greatest thing you learned from being in Mentor Club (from Mentors)?
“ I feel like I have really opened up so many opportunities to lean and meet new people, not only the kids but the other mentors I would have never met otherwise”
“I have really enjoyed watching the kids step out of their comfort zones and being in a great environment” “No matter how old you are there is always a friend there for you.”
“I taught my mentee whether if your shy or outgoing, you should stay true to yourself.”
“I taught my mentee how to feel more comfortable when speaking in front of others”
“My mentee taught me to have a positive attitude no matter what.”
“My mentee is so outgoing she made me come out of my shell even more!”
“My mentee has taught me how to deal with rebellious children just a little bit better than I was able to do before.”
What was the best thing about being in Mentor Club (from Mentees)? “My mentor was really nice and helped me.”
“I liked the fun activities.”
“Being with my mentor and making crafts. My mentor was always happy.”\
“I liked the ice cube castles.”
“I liked the ice cream.”
“They [the mentors] were fun to play with and they helped me.”
“It was pretty fun. I liked talking about the dancing flower in the puppet show.”
“I liked how my mentor made my seeds grow.”
“I liked making things with my mentor. She was very nice.”
“I liked having a mentor. She was funny!”
“She was nice and she was pretty and she helped me.”