Format

Individual Presentation

Location

Scarbrough 4

Strand #1

Family & Community

Relevance

The presentation will highlight ideas for building mentor partnerships between colleges and K-12 schools.

Brief Program Description

This interactive presentation will focus on ideas for building mentor partnerships between colleges and K-12 schools. Additionally, college students who serve as mentors will present tips for establishing positive rapport, serving as constructive role models, and fostering trusting relationships with mentees. Target audience members include K-12 faculty members, college students, and college faculty members.

Summary

Due to requests from concerned faculty members at three schools in the community, Citadel cadet education majors, as well as cadets who are members of The Citadel’s African American Society, serve as mentors to local K-12 students. Cadets participate in assigned school-based prescriptive mentoring at one local middle school (Anastasia, Skinner, and Mundhenk, 2012). Cadets are paired with specific mentees who are two years or more below grade level or who need assistance with time management and organization, skills that cadets must learn in order to succeed at a military college. Cadet mentors meet with their mentees on a weekly basis during the school day and focus on academics, behavior, and executive skills while also fostering trusting relationships. Cadets are also involved in a natural school-based developmental mentoring partnership (Anastasia, Skinner, & Mundhenk, 2012) at a public day school for students with disabilities. The cadets visit their mentees on a bi-weekly basis and establish rapport, build trust, and serve as positive role models while participating in recreational activities with students with emotional difficulties. A new mentor partnership was recently formed between The Citadel and an intermediate school. Cadets will visit the school’s new Guys and Ties club and will speak about etiquette and characteristics of gentlemen. This presentation will focus on building mentor partnerships between colleges and K-12 schools. It will also spotlight tips for mentoring, lessons learned, and positive aspects of mentoring from mentors’ points of view. Citadel cadets who serve as mentors will offer their perspectives on mentoring and will also share information they have learned from past cadet mentors. Anastasia, T. T., Skinner, R. L., & Mundhenk, S. E. (2012). Youth mentoring: Program and mentor best practices. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 104(2), 38-44.

Evidence

Anastasia, Skinner, and Mundhenk (2012) identify best practices for mentors and mentor programs in their article, “Youth Mentoring: Program and Best Practices.” Based on their definitions, Citadel cadets participate in assigned school-based prescriptive mentoring and natural school-based developmental mentoring. In a survey conducted by a partner middle school after the first semester of their mentor partnership with The Citadel, 100 percent of the mentees and mentors wanted the mentor partnership to continue. This partnership is now in its third year of existence. Other K-12 schools requested mentors from The Citadel. As a result, a second mentor partnership is in its second year of existence, and a third partnership was recently established. The possibility of a fourth mentor partnership is currently being explored.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Tammy J. Graham is an Associate Professor at The Citadel, where she teaches courses related to exceptional children and educational psychology. She serves as Coordinator of The Citadel School of Education Mentor Program and pairs undergraduate and graduate education majors with accomplished educators who serve as their mentors. Additionally, she manages mentor partnerships between The Citadel and three K-12 schools. She is a board member on the Learning Disabilities Association of South Carolina and has presented in conferences sponsored by the American Educational Research Association; the American Institute of Higher Education; the Learning Disabilities Association of America; and the Council of Exceptional Children, Teacher Education Division.

Ra’Shaud Graham is a Cadet Platoon Sergeant at The Citadel and the Cadet in Charge of The Citadel’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is also the Huddle Leader of Lake City, South Carolina’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has served as a mentor in the Lake City Panther Pals Mentoring Program. He is a member of The Citadel School of Education Mentor Program and currently mentors middle school and elementary students through The Citadel’s mentor partnerships.

Traceel Andrews is a Cadet Recruiting Sergeant at The Citadel. She is a vestry member at St. Alban’s Chapel, a member of the women’s intramural rugby team, and has participated in The Citadel’s African American Society. She is in her second year of mentoring middle school students through one of The Citadel’s mentor partnerships.

James McManus is a Cadet Master Sergeant and Regimental Public Affairs NCO at The Citadel. He serves as president of the Fine Arts Club and Chairman of the Honors Program Student Advisory Council. He recently studied education at Oxford University for one semester and is currently conducting research comparing school systems in the United States and the United Kingdom. He is a member of The Citadel School of Education Mentor Program and currently mentors middle school students and elementary students through The Citadel’s mentor partnerships.

Matthew Harris is a sophomore education major at The Citadel. He has served as a camp counselor for five years and as an instructor for Boy Scouts. He is a member of The Citadel School of Education Mentor Program and is in his second year of mentoring students with emotional difficulties through one of The Citadel’s mentor partnerships.

Keyword Descriptors

mentor partnerships, mentor programs, youth mentoring, middle school students, students with disabilities, college students

Presentation Year

2015

Start Date

3-3-2015 1:00 PM

End Date

3-3-2015 2:15 PM

Download

Share

COinS
 
Mar 3rd, 1:00 PM Mar 3rd, 2:15 PM

Mentor Partnerships between Colleges and K-12 Schools: Perspectives from College Students Who Mentor

Scarbrough 4

This interactive presentation will focus on ideas for building mentor partnerships between colleges and K-12 schools. Additionally, college students who serve as mentors will present tips for establishing positive rapport, serving as constructive role models, and fostering trusting relationships with mentees. Target audience members include K-12 faculty members, college students, and college faculty members.