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Can grades, attendance, and life satisfaction change after just 8 sessions of school-based mentoring?: Yes!!

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McQuillin S. & Lyons, D. (2016). Brief instrumental school-based mentoring for middle school students: theory and impact.  Advances in School Mental Health Promotion,  9, 2, 73–89. (reprinted from Abstract) This study evaluated the efficacy of an intentionally brief school-based mentoring program. This academic goal-focused mentoring program was developed through a series of iterative randomized controlled […]

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Ask Not What Your Mentor Can Do for You. . .: The Role of Reciprocal Exchange in Maintaining Student–Teacher Mentorships

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Editor’s note: I stumbled across this impressive study and, more generally, the work of rising star, Sherelle Ferguson. Sherelle is a doctoral student in the sociology dept. at the University of Pennsylvania where she has been studying mentoring, social class, and social networks. This study explores the important role that mentees play in maintaining relationships, […]

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Creating birds of similar feathers: How emphasizing similarities can improve matches

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Editors note: This study has important implications for mentoring and other PYD studies. The simple act of emphasizing similarities improves relationships and leads to better outcomes. This should be a routine part of describing the “why” behind matches, for both mentors and mentees.  Gehlbach, H., Brinkworth, M., King, A. M. , Hsu, L. M., McIntyre, […]

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It takes two: New research investigates reciprocity in the teacher-student mentoring relationship

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Ferguson, S. (2017). Ask not what your mentor can do for you…: The role of reciprocal exchange in maintaining student-teacher mentorships. Sociological Forum, 1-23. DOI: 10.1111/socf.12406. Summarized by Justin Preston   Introduction In the present study, the author seeks to underscore a framework for relational processes that make social capital, or the goodwill available to […]

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New research outlines 9 steps in using mentoring to boost physical activity in youth

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Smith, L. & Petosa, R. (2016). A structured peer-mentoring method for physical activity behavior change among adolescents. The Journal of the School of Nursing, 32(5), 315-323. Summarized by Justin Preston As the winter months roll in, a time typically reserved for hibernating and reduced physical activity more generally, new research has outlined an approach for […]

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Mentoring in the News: Focus on the relationship in after-school programs

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Written by Nancy Deutsch, University of Virginia Curry School of Education When the bell rings at the end of the school day, students run from the classroom to a host of different activities. Some will work with adults to build on the lessons they learned in the classroom. Others will join a sports team, orchestra […]

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New research: Mentees’ academic self-belief linked to better academic performance

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Posted by Jared Wadley When kids believe they can achieve success in math and reading, they are more likely to achieve high test scores in those subjects, new research suggests. Researchers used two US data sets—with one being a nationally represented study—and one UK data set to measure self-concept and standardized assessments of early and […]

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Personalized learning in schools has implications for mentoring programs too

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By Emily Berman, for the Huffington Post Tara’s eyes lit up in a way I had not seen before. I could almost hear what she was thinking: “Felicia is amazing.” Felicia, a local organizer for the NAACP, had just given a talk to our students about how to make change and organize in their community. […]

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Mentoring key piece of the puzzle in reducing STEM attrition

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Written by Charlie Wood, the Christian Science Monitor As a freshman, Stephanie Mula found the University of Massachusetts’s engineering program “overwhelming.” A first-generation college student, she wasn’t sure what to expect, how to get the most out of her classes, or where to look for internships. Nevertheless, she went on to beat the odds of […]

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How the ‘Friends of the Children’ Mentorship Program Helps Vulnerable Youth Thrive

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Terri Sorensen is president of Friends of the Children. Originally posted in The 74   Michael, who lives in Portland, Oregon, is the youngest of three kids. His mother, a domestic violence survivor, became a mom at age 16. When Michael was 4 years old, his father passed away in prison. Family circumstances such as […]

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