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Peer Mentoring
A Guide for Teachers
Peer Mentoring
A Guide for Teachers
This guide booklet was made possible through Alberta Health Services, Children’s Mental Health Plan.
Authored by: Bev Dekker and Dave Sheehan, Project Managers, The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities
Edited by: Francesca Roznicki, Communications Offi cer, The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities (SACSC)11010 142 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5N 2R1Phone: 780-822-1500E-mail: offi [email protected]
© 2012 by The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities
All Rights Reserved. Printed in CanadaISBN: 978-0-9810494-2-7
Any reproduction in whole or in part without the prior written consent from The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities is prohibited. Peer Mentoring: A Guide for Teachers will be distributed across Alberta.
Peer Mentoring: A Guide for Teachers
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
WhatisMentoring? 2
WhatisPeerMentoring? 2
WhyPeerMentoring? 4
Cross-AgePeerMentoring 5
BenefitsforMentorsandMentees 6
AMentor’sRole 7
TipsforMakingCross-AgePeerMentoring
ProgramsaSuccess 8
MentorandMenteeScreeningandSelection 10
MentorTraining 11
ChoosingMentoringActivities 13
Mentor/MenteeActivities 14
SummaryofPeerMentoringProcess 19
References 20
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities 1
Introduction
Asaresultofyearsofresearch,programdevelopment,implementationandevaluation,TheSocietyforSafeandCaringSchools&Communities(SACSC)hasconcludedthattheprojectsthathavethegreatestimpactonyoungpeoplearetheonesthatactivelyengagethemincreatingpositivechangesintheirlives.Thisisparticularlyimportantwhenworkingwitholderyouth.Peermentoringisatooltohelpyouthtaketheinitiativetohaveapositiveinfluenceintheirschoolandcommunity.
“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.” ~Benjamin Disraeli
Thisbookletprovidesinformationaboutthepeermentoringprocessandthebenefitsexperiencedbymentorsandmentees.
What is Mentoring?
Mentoringisarelationshipoveraprolongedperiodoftimebetweentwoormorepeoplewherethementorprovidesconstant,asneededsupport,guidanceandconcretehelptotheprotégéastheytravelthroughlife.
• Mentoringcanexposeyouthtonewinformationwhichmay helpthemmakebetterdecisionsabouttheircurrentorfuture lives.• Mentoringisaboutbelievingintheunlimitedpotentialofeach andeveryyouthserved.• Mentoringisabouttimeandpatience.
What is Peer Mentoring?
Peermentoringprovidesastructuretoconnectcaringyouth,whotaketheroleofmentor,withotheryouth.Mostpeermentoringprogramsareschool-based.Youthmentorsarepositiverolemodelswhodeveloprelationshipswithandmentoryoungerstudents.Goalsofpeermentoringareoftenorientedtowardpositivesocialskillsandrelationshipstrategiessupportedthroughskill-buildingactivitiesbetweenmentorsandmentees.
One-to-onementoringcanprovideasupportiverelationshipwithanolderindividualtoguidestudents’development,self-imageandresponsetochallengingsituationstheyexperienceintheirhomeand/orschoollife.Peermentoringwilllookdifferentineveryschool.Eachschoolwillidentifyspecificneedsandwilldevelopspecificapproachestomeetingthoseneeds.Whatwilllookthesame,though,isthatpeermentoringwillbecomeapartofeachschool’splanningandcommitmenttocreateasafe,caringandinclusiveculture.
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The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities 3
TheSocietyforSafeandCaringSchools&Communitiesprovidessupportforschoolstocreateandimplementapeermentoringprogram.Schoolfacilitatorssetthegoalsoftheirprogramandlearnprocessesforselectingandscreeningmentorsandmentees.
“ Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”
~John Crosby
Why Peer Mentoring?
Byaccessingyouthasleadersandmentorsinaschoolcommunity,peermentoringhasthepotentialtohaveapowerfulimpactonindividualstudentsandsupportapositiveschoolculture.Youthwhoprovideguidanceandrolemodellingfortheirpeerscanstronglyinfluencetheskillsandbehavioursofothers.Positivesocialskillsthatalignwiththeexpectationsoftheschoolcommunitycanbemodelledandtransferredinanon-hierarchicalrelationship.
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The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities 5
Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
Inacross-agepeermentoringprogram,olderyouthmentoryoungerstudents.Itisrecommendedthatthementorbeatleasttwoyearsolderthanthementee.Mentorsandmenteesarepeerswithinthesameschoolcommunityorareinschoolsthathaveacross-ageconnection(ie.feederschool).
Cross-agepeermentoringfocusesontherelationshipsbetweenmentorsandmenteesas“themainmechanismbywhichmenteesdevelopintheareasofself-esteem,connectedness,identityandacademicattitudes”(Karcher2005).
Intherelationship,thementorprovidesguidance,support,attentionandcaringoveranextendedperiodoftime.Mentoringcanbeusedasameansofguidingyouthbyrolemodellingorteachingbehavioursandskills(Karcher2005,Karcher2007).
Benefi ts for Mentors and Mentees
Peermentoringhassignificantbenefitsforbothmentorsandmentees.Mentoringrelationshipsprovideastrongerconnectiontotheschoolandcreateasystemofsupportandbelongingforstudents.Menteeshaveanimprovedattitudetowardandconnectednesstotheirschoolandpeers(Karcher2005).Theymayalsoshowimprovedgradesoracademicachievementandagreatersenseofself-worth(Stoltz2005).Formentors,theexperienceoftakingonleadershiprolesintheschoolcommunitybuildstheircapacityandenhancestheirself-esteem.Peermentoringhelpsyouthdevelopintoactivelistenersandcaringindividu-als.Theresultisasupportiveandcaringschoolcommunity.
(Garringer&MacRae2008,Karcher2007)
• belesslikelytoinitiate drugandalcoholuse,• belesslikelytohit someone,• skipfewerdaysof school,• feelmorecompetent abouttheirabilitytodo wellinschool,• receiveslightlyhigher grades,• havemorepositive relationshipswithfriends andparents.
Youthinvolvedinhighqualityone-to-onementoringarereportedto
(MentoringAdolescents:WhatHaveWeLearned?,CynthiaL.Sipeppv.org)
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The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities 7
A Mentor’s Role
• Amentorisacaringguide,awiseadvisor,apartnerona journeyandatrustedfriend.• Amentorcanserveasamirrorforthementee.Theycan showtheyoungerstudentwhotheyareandwhotheycan become.• Amentorisonewhocanhelpthementeefeelcomfortable intheirownskinandappreciatetheirgiftswhileatthe sametimeexposingthemtonewopportunitiesandmodesof thinking.• Whatmakesamentor“aMentor”isnotthattheyare perfectoralwaysknowexactlywhattosay,butrather thattheyareabletoformastrongconnectionwiththeir mentee.Thisconnectioncanserveasacatalystfor positivechangeandgrowth.
(AdaptedfromDesigningandCustomizingMentorTraining,CenterforAppliedResearchSolutions,Inc.2004)
Tips for Making Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Programs a Success• Ensurementorsfullyunderstandtheirroles.
Mentorswillneedtrainingontheirrole,tipsforbeingsupportive,whentoaccesshelpwithproblemsthataretoolargeforthemtohandle,andprogramexpectations.Menteesmaybeintimidatedbyanolderpeermentorandwillneedtobeawarethattheirparticipationisnotapunishment.
• Remindpeermentorstomodelpositive behaviours.
Mentorswillneedreminderstopayattentiontothesocialneedsoftheirmentee.Itisimportanttorememberthatthementeeisyoungerthanthementor.Howmentorsspeakandtopicstheydiscussmaybeappropriateforateen(ex.dating,parties),butarenotappropriateformentees.Amentor’sbehaviourandconversationswithpeersinthepresenceofmenteeswillinfluencethebehaviourofmentees.
• Makesureitisenjoyable.
Mentorqualitiessuchasempathy,authenticity,trust,andcollaborationareimportantbutsoishavingfun.Don’tgettoocaughtupinhavingtocompletespecificactivities.Themoreimportantgoalisdevelopingrelationshipsandenjoyment.
• Maintainconsistencyandqualityofpeermentoring relationships.
Whenmentorsmissmeetingsorarenotattentivetotheirmenteesduringameeting,menteesmayfeelrejectedandthementormaybedoingmoreharmthangood.
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“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside of yourself.”
~Oprah Winfrey
Menteessometimesreporttheydonotenjoymeetinginagroupbecausetheirmentorsareinthecompanyoftheirpeersandtheirattentionisnotfocusedonthementees.
Mentorshavetoresistthetemptationtosocializewithothermentorswhentheyareinagrouporteammentoringsituation.
(BigBrothersBigSistershttp://highschoolbigs.org/lessons/view/1)(Garringer&MacRae2008)
Mentor and Mentee Screening and Selection
TheSocietyforSafeandCaringSchools&Communitieshelpsteacherfacilitatorsofpeermentoringprogramsconsiderprocessesforscreeningandselectingmentorsandmentees.Itisimportanttoconsiderthemanydiversegroupsofstudentsinaschoolandcriteriaforidentifyingpotentialcandidatesfortheprogram.Somefactorstoconsiderare:sufficientagedifferencebetweenmentorsandmentees,availability,scheduling,studentneedandparentalpermission.
“One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.”
~Dick Gregory
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Mentor Training
Trainingmentorsisasignificantcomponentofsuccessfulpeermentoringprograms(Herraraetal.2008).Mentorsneedtobeawareoftheprogram’spurpose,theirroleasamentorandwillneedopportunitiestopracticetheskillsthatarerequiredformentoring(Garringer&MacRae2008). Severaltrainingsessionsshouldtakeplacebeforementorsbeginmentoringandtrainingshouldbeon-goingthroughoutthementorshipprogram.Trainingactivitiesshouldincludeavarietyofopportunitiesforstudentinteractiontokeepstudentsengaged.
Goalsofmentortraining
Whilethedetailsoftrainingwillvarydependingupontheparticularprogram,theoverallgoalsaregenerallyconsistentacrossprograms.
Trainingshould
• Helpparticipantsunderstandthescopeandlimitsoftheirrole asmentors• Helpthemdeveloptheskillsandattitudestheyneedtoperform wellintheirrole• Introducethemtotheconceptofpositiveyouthdevelopment• Provideinformationaboutthestrengthsandvulnerabilitiesof thechildrenoryouthwhoareintheprogram• Provideinformationaboutprogramrequirementsandsupports formentors• Answerquestionstheymayhaveaboutthementoring experience• Buildtheirconfidenceastheypreparetostartworkingwith theirmentee(HamiltonFishInstituteonSchooland CommunityViolence2007)
Generaltopicstoconsiderformentortraining
• Outlinetheroleofmentorsandmentees• Providegroundrulesandexpectationsformentors
• Explaintheroleofadultfacilitators• Examinecharacteristicsofmentees(developmental characteristics,uniquecharacteristicstomentees)• Gooverprogramscheduleandactivities• Defineconfidentialityandwhentoshareinformationwithadult facilitators(notsharingpersonalinformationaboutmentees withothers,typesofpersonalinformationmenteesmight share,whattypesofinformationareimportanttosharewith adultfacilitators)
(Garringer&MacRae2008)
Skilldevelopmenttopics
Mentorswillalsoneedopportunitiestodevelopspecificskillssuchas:
• Teamcollaboration• Leadership• Listeningandcommunication• Establishingboundaries(topromoteasafeandtrusting relationship)• Problemsolving• Decisionmaking• Conflictresolution
(Cole1999,Garringer&MacRae2008)
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Choosing Mentoring Activities
Mentorsandmenteesshouldhaveopportunitiestomeetregularly(weeklyorbi-weekly)forseveralweekstoallowstrong,positiverelationshipstodevelopbetweenthem.Initialmeetingsoftenincludefunactivitiesthatcreateenjoyableinteractionandestablishacomfortlevelformentorsandmenteesthenmovetowardactivitiesandconversationsaimedatthefocusofthementoringproject.Mentoringactivitiesmayfocusontrust-building,communicationskills,listeningskillsorconflictresolutionandcaninvolveactivitiessuchasrole-plays,art,boardgamesandusingpictureprompts.
“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.”
~Helen Keller
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Mentor/Mentee Activities
Theseactivitiesmaybeusedfortrainingmentorsorifmentorsandmenteesmeettogetherasagroup.
IceBreakerExercise
Inside-OutsideCircleIceBreaker
Chooseapartnerandnumberyourselves#1and#2.Allofthe1’sformalargecirclefacingoutward.The2’sfacetheirpartner.Youhavenowformedaninsideandanoutsidecircle.Nowtheinsidecirclemovesonepersontotheleft.Withtheindividualyouarenowfacing,thepersonintheoutsidecircleintroducesthemselvesandtellsaboutatimetheydidsomethingthathelpedothers.Whentheyfinish,thepersonfacingthemintheinsidecircledoesthesame.Giveacoupleofminutesforeveryonetofinish.Theinsidecirclenowmovesonepersontotheleft.Repeatintroductionsbutthistimetellaboutatimesomeoneelsehelpedyou.Thetrainercanchooseavarietyofstatementsforparticipantstorespondtoorjusthavetheparticipantsintroducethemselves.
GettingtoKnowEachOther
OnTheSpot
Usetwodice.Taketurnsrollingthediceandthenansweringthequestionofthenumberyouroll.Playuntilyouhaveworkedthroughmostofthequestions.Ifyourollthesamenumbertwice,giveyourpartneranewanswer.
Withyourpartner,completethefollowingsentences…
1. Youcan’trollthiswithtwodice,sothereisnoquestionforit!2. Afteralongday,Iliketo…3. Myfavouritefoodis…4. Iammostexcitedwhen…5. Myfavouritemovieis…6. Whatalwaysmakesmelaughis…
The Society for Safe and Caring Schools & Communities 15
7. Igetmybestworkdonewhen…8. Myfavouritetimeofdayis…9. Myidealdaywouldbespentdoing…10. IfIcouldgoanywhere,Iwouldgoto…11. YouwouldbesurprisedtoknowthatI…12. Thethingthatbugsmethemostis…
TheNameGame
Thisactivityisafunwaytosumupwhatthementorandmenteeknowabouteachotheraftertheyhavebeentogetherforawhile.Boththementorandmenteeneedapieceoflinedpaper.Eachpersontriestodescribetheirpartnerusingdetailstheyhavelearnedaboutthem.Writethepartner’snameverticallyonthepaper,oneletteroneachlineandskippingalinebetweeneachletter.Besideeachletterintheperson’sname,recordapersonalitytraitorsomethingyouknowaboutthatpersonthatstartswiththeletter.
Oncethelistiscomplete,drawapictureortwobesideittorepresentthepersondescribed.Whenbothmentorandmenteehavefinished,theyshouldreadtheirdescriptiontotheirpartnerandtellthepersonwhytheyusedthewordsandpicturestodescribehim/her.
Example:
D–darestotrynewthingsA–alwaysontimeR–reallylikeshockeyR–runsfastlikeahorseY–yo-yochampionL–likestoplaysports
TwentyQuestions
Thementorcomesupwithalistof20questionstoasktheirmentee.(mentorsmaycomeupwiththequestionsasagrouporindividually)TrytouseacombinationofclosedquestionswhichwillhavejustaYesorNoansweraswellasopenquestions.Openquestionswillprovidemoreinsight.
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Samplequestions:
Whatsportsdoyouplay?Howmanybrothersandsistersdoyouhave?Whatisyourfavouritethingtodoafterschool?Whatwasthelastmovieyouwatched?Whatisyourfavouritefood?Wheredoyoulive?Whatdoyouliketodoinyoursparetime?
Firstthementoraskstheirmenteethequestions.Onceallofthequestionshavebeenanswered,thementeetakesaturn.
TeamBuildingExercises
StrawandPaperclipActivity
Dividetheparticipantsintogroupsof3or4.Giveeachgroupaboxofpaperclipsand20-30straws.Makesurethestrawsdonotbendandthatthepaperclipscanfitsnuglyintotheendofthestraws.Giveeachgroupatask(youcanusethesametaskforeachgroupifyouwant)andletthembuildastructureasagroup.Sampletasksincludetallest,strongest,longest,mostcreative,mostfunctional,etc.Debriefingshouldincludedescribingteamworkandleadershipaswellashowdifferentmodelsareneededtoaccomplishdifferenttasks.
HumanKnotGame
Dividetheparticipantsintogroupsof6-10people.Eachgroupformsatightcircle,standingandfacingeachother.Everyoneextendstheirhandsintothecircleandbyinter-minglingtheirarms,graspshandswithothermembersofthegroup.Instructpeopletobesurethatthetwohandstheyareholdingdonotbelongtothesameperson.Thegroups’goalistountietheknot.Membersofthegroupphysicallyclimbover/under/througheachother’sarmstountietheknotoftheirbodies.Note:It’sRAREbutitispossibleforaknottobeunsolvableorendintwoseparatecircles.
BuildingSelf-EsteemExercises
PositivePuzzles
Drawapuzzle,withupto9pieces,onalargesheetofpaper.Makeenoughcopiessothateachmentor/menteepairgetsapuzzle.Thementorhelpsthementeetocomeupwith9wordsorphrasesthatdescribethemselves.Printonewordorphrase(makeitquitelarge)ineachpuzzlepiece.Drawapictureoradddesignstoeachpiecetogowiththedescriptiveword.
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Like to read
Happy
Play Soccer
A good friend
18 Peer Mentoring
ThreeinCommon
Breakthegroupinto3’s.Theirobjectiveisforeachgrouptofindthreethingstheyhaveincommon,butnotthenormalthingslikeage,sexorhaircolour.Itmustbethreeuncommonthings.Afterlettingthegroupsconverseforseveralminutes,they(asagroup)musttelltherestofthegroupsthethreethingstheyhaveincommon.
ConceptReviewExercise
BallToss
Thisisasemi-reviewandwake-upexercisewhencoveringmaterialthatrequiresconcentration.Participantsformalargecircle(nomorethan10people,otherwisemaketwocircles)Giveafoamballtosomeoneinthecircleorthefacilitatorcouldjointhecircleandhavetheballfirst.Thepersonwiththeballsaystheirnameloudlysoeveryonecanhearandthensaysonethingtheyhavelearnedaboutmentoringsofar.Theythentosstheballacrossthecircletosomeoneelse.Thatpersonsaystheirnameoutloudandsaysonethingtheyhavelearned(eachparticipantneedstorememberthenameofthepersonwhotheythrewtheballtobecausetheywillbethrowingtothesamepersoninthenextround).Aseachpersonhasaturn,theyshouldcrosstheirarmsbehindtheirbacksoothersinthecircleknowthey’vealreadyhadaturn.Thiscontinuesuntiltheballcomesbacktothefirstperson.Repeattheabovewithparticipantstellingaboutsomethingelsetheylearnedaboutmentoringorperhapssomethingtheywouldliketolearnabout.Duringthesecondround,thepersonwiththeballsaysthenameofthepersontheyarethrowingtobeforethrowingtheballtothem.Thisroundshouldgofastersinceeveryoneknowswhotothrowto.
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Step 2: Mentor TrainingAllstudentswhovolunteerforandareselectedasmentorsneedtoparticipateintrainingpriortobeingpartneredwithamentee.Trainingmighttakeplaceataone-dayretreat(ifpossibleawayfromtheschool)aswellasclassroomtrainingattheschool.
Step 3: Selection of MenteesMenteesshouldbetwoormoreyearsyoungerthanthementor.Suggestionsformenteesmaycomefromteachers,parentsorotheradultsworkingwithyouthintheschool.
Step 4: Scheduling MeetingsRegularmentor/menteemeetings(weeklyorbi-weekly)shouldbescheduledinorderforthementorandmenteetodevelopalastingrelationship.
Step 5: ActivitiesInitialactivitiesshouldhelptoestablishacomfortlevelformentorsandmenteesandaboveallbefun.Graduallymovetowardactivitiesaimedatthefocusoftheproject.
Step 1: Mentor SelectionMentorsshouldbechosentorepresentthemanytypesofgroupsthatexistintheschoolsuchassportandathletictypes,studioustypes,alternativestudenttypes,specialneedsstudentsandthechildrenwhohaveshownleadershipqualities,butnotalwaysinapositiveway.
Summary of Peer Mentoring Process
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References
AlbertaAdvancedEducationandTechnology.2009.High School Teen Mentoring Handbook.Edmonton,Alberta.AlbertaAdvanced EducationandTechnologyCataloguing.
Arevalo,E.2004.“DesigningandCustomizingMentorTraining.” Folsom,CA.CenterforAppliedResearchSolutions,Inc.
BigBrothersBigSisters.2008.HighSchoolBigsMentorTraining. Retrievedfromhttp://highschoolbigs.org
Cole,M.1999.“YouthMentoring;ASocialDevelopmentApproachto YouthHealthPromotion.”Grant Makers in Health Forum.(3) 1-24.
Cole,T.1999.Kids Helping Kids: A Training Manual for Elementary and Middle School Peer Helpers and Peer Mediators. Victoria,BritishColumbia.PeerSystemsConsultingGroup.
DuBois,D.,Karcher,M.2005.Handbook of Youth Mentoring. ThousandOaks,California.SagePublications.
Garringer,M.,MacRaeP.2008.Building Effective Peer Mentoring Programs in Schools: An Introductory Guide.Folsom,CA. TheMentoringResourcesCenter.
Karcher,M.2007.“Cross-agePeerMentoring,”Research in Action (7)3-24.
Sipe,C.2002“MentoringProgramsforAdolescents:AResearch Summary.”Journal of Adolescent Health(31)251-260.
ISBN: 978-0-9810494-2-7
