Mentoring Resources and Studies

Helpful information for mentors from MENTOR National Mentoring Partnership

http://www.mentoring.org/mentors/support_for_mentors/

Center for Health Communication, Harvard Mentoring Project

In a landmark study conducted by Public/Private Ventures (P/PV), 1000 young people on the waiting list of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America were randomly assigned to two groups. Members of one group were assigned a mentor; members of the other group remained on the waiting list. Comparing the two groups 18 months later, the children with mentors were: 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs; 27% less likely to begin using alcohol; 53% less likely to skip school; and 33% less likely to engage in violence. P/PV also found that young people with mentors: felt more competent about their ability to do well in school; reported more positive relationships with friends and parents; had better attitudes toward school and the future; and had better attitudes toward their family and communities.

Strategies for Working with Students with Attention Challenges:

Adopt a ‘Silent Signal’ (US Department of Education, 2004): You can redirect overactive students in a low-key manner by using a silent signal. Identify for the student those motor or verbal behaviors that are most distracting. With the student’s help, select a silent signal (i.e. soft touch on the shoulder, peace sign, hand clap) that you can use to alert the student when his/her behavior has crossed the threshold and has become distractive. When you are able to successfully use the ‘silent signal’ while working together, praise the student for responding appropriately.

Allow Discretionary Motor Breaks (US Department of Education, 2004): When given brief ‘movement’ breaks, highly active students often show improvements in their behaviors. Arrange for breaks every 20-30 minutes for 3-5 graders, and every 30-40 minutes for 6-8 graders. Keeping time with a visible timer can be useful.

Remove Unnecessary Items From the Student’s Work Area (US Department of Education, 2004): Students who tend to distract themselves and others by playing with objects behave better when their work area is uncluttered. Take away (or direct students to put away) any items the student does not need for the work assignment but might be tempted to play with (e.g., extra pens, paper clips).

Give Clear Directions (Gettinger & Seibert, 2002; Gettinger, 1988)): Students will better understand directions when those directions are delivered in a clear manner, expressed in language the student understands, given at a pace that does not overwhelm the student, and posted for later review. When giving multi-step directions orally, also write those directions down for the student to consult as needed. State multi-step directions one direction at a time and confirm that the student is able to comply with each step before giving the next direction.

Reduce Length of Assignment (DuPaul & Ervin, 1996; US Department of Education, 2004): Students’ attention may drift when completing overly long assignments. For new material, trim assignments to the minimum length that you judge will ensure student understanding. When having students practice skills or review previously taught material, break the review into a series of short assignments rather than one long assignment to help to sustain interest and engagement.

Interesting Current Research on Effective Study Skills (Kornell : 2010).

Changing Study Location Can Help Memory: A recent study, published in the NY Times, showed that studying in different locations can help memory. The researchers believe that sensory details can help trigger memory. For example, if you read one day in the library and the next at The Bean, you will remember what you read the first day by remembering that you read in the Library and you will remember what you read the second day by remembering that it happened in The Bean. Check out NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html?_r=1

Mixing Up Concepts Helps Memory: Nate Kornell, Associate Psychology Professor at Williams College, found that when students practiced different, related skills in a given time period they were able to retain more than if they practiced the same skill over and over during the same length of time. For example, alternating between multiplication, division, and world problems in a study session was more effective then doing just multiplication or doing all of the multiplication then all of the division. “When you sit down to study, mix up your topics--instead of studying one topic per day, study every topic a little bit every day,” he writes.

Spacing Studying Over Time Helps Memory: Kornell also found that studying something one day, then taking time away from it, and going back to it a few days later, is more effective then sitting and studying the same thing for one, long, extended session. “You don't necessarily have to study more, you just have to distribute your study time differently,” he writes.

Nate Kornell’s Blog: Everybody is Stupid Except You: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/everybody-is-stupid-except-you