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Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning

Peer Mentoring

PASL 5Overview

Connecting students through peer mentoring can provide PASL students the opportunity to talk with older students about their beliefs, experiences, and attitudes towards school and help connect the PASL student further to school.

Purpose

Peer mentoring provides PASL students practical advice, encouragement, and support from similar peers, which can help foster social and academic confidence. Mentoring provides mutual benefits for both mentors and mentees, allowing for the development of communication across grade levels and help build a sense of community in the school building.

PASL 6Implementation

Counselors, administrators, and teachers should be consulted on which upperclassmen would fit well in this program; Upperclassman should be consulted if they would like to participate; Where peers meet can vary, whether during personalization period, or on their own time.

Details

  • Upperclassmen should be identified and PASL educators should provide an outline for their expectations. For example, eligible upperclassman should maintain a 3.0 GPA, be involved in at least one extracurricular activity, etc.
  • Determine the frequency and best time of day for mentors and mentees to meet. Allow time for them to have meaningful conversations, as to help foster relationship building. For example, have PASL students and their mentors meet once a week during PASL time to connect. Students should also be encouraged to meet outside of regulated time to further promote meaningful connections.
  • Set up a topic guide for mentors to follow. You can establish a timeline in which you would like topics to be covered or you can allow them free range. For example, around the end of a semester, have mentors provide tips and tricks for PASL students to utilize to better prepare for their exams.
  • Explain to both students that mentoring is an open conversation. This is an opportunity for students to connect and form relationships they may not have encountered without this opportunity.

Connection to other components

Peer mentoring can help students acknowledge, set, and achieve goals based off of and through their peer interactions.

Materials

  • Topic Guide for mentors to follow
  • PASL educators should provide Upperclassman with guidance on how they would like to interact with their PASL students. Possibly, a schedule of topics could be provided to mentors, depending on the school’s needs.
  • List of PASL students and their matched mentors is necessary

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