The Parkland Education Project Mentoring Program

A division of

The Washington Retention Project

Pacific Lutheran University

Mentor Handbook

Adapted from the Compass 2 Campus Mentor Handbook and the PLU ASEP Big Buddies Mentor Resource Manual
Table of Contents

History of Washington Retention Project…………………………………………………………………………3

Parkland Education Project……………………………………………………………………………………………..4

PLU Center for Community Engagement and Service/ Career Connections………………………..5

Mentor and Supervisor Responsibilities……………………………………………………………………….….6

Program Policies and Procedures……………………………………………………………………………….7-10

Attendance Policies……………………………………………………………………………………………...7

Nametags…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

Email Accounts…………………………………………………………………………………………………….7

Other Requirements……………………………………………………………………………………….8-10

Professionalism

Dress Code

Cell Phone Use

Confidentiality

Positive Encouragement

Discipline

Touching

Outside Communication

Safety and Injuries

Mentor Training

Notes

Mentoring Tips and Strategies……………………………………………………………………………………….11

PEP Mentor Contract………………………………………………………………………………………………….…12

Contact Information……………………………………………………………………………………………………...13

The Washington Retention Project

The Washington Campus Compact AmeriCorps Retention Project places AmeriCorps members at colleges and universities to implement exemplary mentoring initiatives. Using service-learning as a strategy, AmeriCorps Retention Project members recruit and train college student mentors to help reduce dropout rates of middle, high, and post-secondary students.

This unique and impactful program is hosted by Washington and Oregon Campus Compact member colleges and universities in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. These institutions are committed to providing opportunities for students to succeed and thrive at the middle and school level so that they can successfully enter and complete their college education.

Goals of the Retention Project:

  • To connect college student mentors with at risk middle/high school and college students to help them overcome the barriers to college access and success
  • To integrate and engage mentors and mentees in National Days of Service projects
  • To develop civic and work force skills of mentors and mentees
  • To build sustainable partnerships between colleges/universities with local elementary, middle, and high schools

Parkland Education Project - PLU/FPSD

A division of

The Washington State Retention Project

Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year and the Parkland Education Project (PEP). PEP is a tutoring and mentoring program designed to connect local fifth graders with college students.

PEP is modeled after Compass to Campus, an initiative of Western Washington University. During the 2012-2013 academic year, 50 PLU students enrolled in Education 205: Multicultural Issues in the Classroom will commit a minimum of 30 hours per semester to in-school tutoring and mentoring at three local elementary schools in the Franklin Pierce School District, located in close proximity to the PLU campus. With a 5:1 ratio, 250 student protégés will receive instructional support and mentoring and take a field trip to the PLU campus where they will participate in developmentally appropriate college preparation classes, take a campus tour and eat lunch with students from across the campus. Mentors will also play a role as students prepare for transition to Keithley Middle School, where PLU’s Club Keithley provides additional academic and social support.

The goals of the project are to:

  • Understand the principles and purposes of mentoring
  • Increase retention and graduation rates while overcoming barriers to higher education and promoting meaningful post-high school opportunities
  • Build partnerships between PLU, FPSD, and the Parkland community
  • Develop citizenship, leadership, and communication skills
  • Gain personal satisfaction through community service as a vital part of life
  • Experience and appreciate cultural, social and economic diversity
  • Gain experience for careers in public service, social work/ human service, or teaching

Thank you for your participation in this community based project.

THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & SERVICE

History and Purpose

The Center for Community Engagement & Service(formerly known as the Center for Public Service) is an academic support office established by PacificLutheranUniversity in 1993 to coordinate, encourage, strengthen and honor all initiatives for service at PLU. The Center advances the university’s mission to empower students for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care—for other persons, for the community, and for the earthby offering students, faculty, and staff a wide variety of service and learning opportunities and important community partnerships. Throughout this work, the Center celebrates reflective service as a rich source of enlightenment and spiritual growth that creates lifelong learners with a sense of commitment, care, meaning and purpose in the world.

What We Do

Three emphases are central to the Center’s work: advocacy and support for service and service-learning; development of strong community partnerships; and availability of resources and training.The Center connects PLU students, faculty and staff in partnership with the community to serve the community’s needs, encouraging critical reflection on all service, from the challenging inquiry of reflecting on service as a classroom text to thoughtful discussion and creative expression around volunteer and community outreach projects.

Career Connections

Career Connections embodies PLU’s commitment to helping students discover their career aspirations. However, the PLU approach to career readiness is distinct. A PLU education not only prepares students to excel by building excellent intellectual skills, but also by connecting them with opportunities to realize their potential and find meaning and purpose in their work.

Career Connections brings together PLU’s best academic and career planning tools to help students make a seamless transition into the next phase of life. By linking students with the right resources, advisors and opportunities, Career Connections positions students to succeed.

Adapted from PLU Career Connections at

MENTOR Responsibilities

  • Be consistent – and on time. If you are going to be late or cannot make a mentoring session, contact the Mentor LiaisonsAND the Project CoordinatorASAP.
  • Be professional – Maintain a professional attitude and appearance. DO NOT bring your cell phone on school property during your work hours.
  • Be responsible – Keep the confidentiality of staff, students, and school records private. Do not discuss students’ abilities or actions with others outside the school setting or in front of other students.
  • Be respectful – Dress appropriately and remember that through your actions, attire, and behaviors, you are serving as a role model for the students. You also serve as a representative of PLU.
  • Be prepared - Arrive at school site prepared to interact with your mentees.
  • Be aware – Make sure you know and observe the school rules and regulations. Follow school and classroom emergency procedures.
  • Be knowledgeable – Participate in orientation and ongoing training and reflection meetings. Your attendance in trainings and reflection meetings areMANDATORY for your position.
  • Be available – Make sure you check your e-mail on a regular basis.
  • Be dependable – Fill out your time logs on-time.
  • Be positive – Students pick up on your mood and behavior. Discuss problems that arise with students or school staff and keep the lines of communication open. Ask for help or guidance when needed. I’m always here for any questions or concerns that you may have.

Supervisor Responsibilities

  • Training - Provide initial and ongoing training for mentors.
  • Support – Provide resources and support for mentors.
  • Time logs – Approve hours and time logs for schedule consistency.
  • Consistency – Be consistent and clear with expectations and requirements.
  • Communication – Maintain regular communication with all mentors and give updates. Be available for questions or concerns regarding the Parkland Education Project.
  • Respect – Be respectful to students and staff and maintain a positive and professional attitude and demeanor.
  • Confidentiality – Maintain students’ confidentiality regarding records and information. Ask for students’ permission before giving out confidential information.
  • Site Visits– Conduct site visits and observations.

Program Policies and Procedures

Attendance

  • Regular, Prompt Attendance is required for all Mentors. This is one of the most important responsibilities of your position and your attendance will be strictly enforced.
  • Students are assigned to one school for the entire semester. Your schedule will be determined at the beginning of the semester.
  • Mentors are allowed 1 unexcused absence for the academic semester. An unexcused absence is defined as calling in for any reason other than: illness, family emergency, or an extenuating circumstance. For instance, taking the day off to study at the last minute is considered unexcused.
  • An absence may be excused in case of illness, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstance, or if a request for time off is submitted by email and approved at least one week in advance by the Project Coordinator. The Project Coordinator will determine whether or not a request is excused or unexcused.
  • Tardiness will not be tolerated. If a mentor is going to be late for any reason, he/she needs to contact their Mentor Liaison AND the Project Coordinator by phone as soon as possible.
  • Mentors will not meet at their elementary during the school district breaks, but trainings and reflection meetings are still mandatory. Mentors are required to attend all scheduled trainings and reflection sessions during Franklin Pierce school breaks. If a mentor cannot attend, their absence will be considered unexcused unless prior notice is given for extenuating circumstances.

CALL/EMAIL POLICY FOR ABSENCES

  • In ALL circumstances, mentors MUST contact the Mentor Liaisons and the Project Coordinator within a reasonable amount of time to report the absence. If the absence is planned, the Program Coordinatorand Mentor Liaison must be notified at least one week in advance for the absence to be excused. If it is an unplanned absence, such as an illness, the Coordinator should be notified no later than the morning of any absence. The Course Instructor and Mentor Liaison must also be contacted when you are unable to report for work. Please make note of the program’s contact numbers so that you can contact them without delay (see page 13 for contact information).
  • Each mentor is required to sign a work contract every semester and must agree to the PEP Mentor Policies and Procedures.

NametagsAll mentors are required to wear a nametag EVERY time you work on school property. This is a requirement for the school and you must follow this policy as a guest of the school.

Email Accounts

All mentors must maintain a PLU student e-mail account and check their mail regularly. The Project Coordinator and Mentor Liaisons will send mentors important reminders, updates, and information regarding PEP mentoring. All mentors are required to respond to e-mails with 48 hours acknowledging receipt.

Other Requirements

Professionalism

You represent yourself, the Parkland Education Project, and Pacific Lutheran University. Acting professionally includes: dressing appropriately, timeliness, respecting peers, students, teachers, administrators, and parents, and following all program and public school policies. Professionalism also includes proper communication. Do not engage in conversations about controversial issues including; sexuality, dating, parties, drug and alcohol consumption (unless to help a student avoid involvement), or any other topic considered adult in nature.

You are a role model to the students you work with and as a PLU student; you are a representative of the university. Your clothing and appearance should reflect the professional nature of your job. Many of the children must follow strict dress codes at their schools, and all tutors must comply with these rules. Please follow these dress guidelines:

Dress Code

  • If you wear jeans, make sure they have no rips or holes.
  • Baggy pants or tight pants that show your underwear or backside are NOT allowed.
  • Absolutely NO hats or bandanas (scarves are okay)
  • NO tank tops, half-shirts, low-cut shirts, or shirts with inappropriate logos or messages are allowed.
  • Shoes must be appropriate– NO FLIP FLOPS
  • No short shorts, sweat pants, or work-out clothing.

Wear…

  • Bright colors
  • Professional skirts, slacks, shirts, sweaters, or clean jeans
  • PLU logo attire, to represent the school-such as clean t-shirts and hoodies

Use your best judgment when following these guidelines.

Cell Phone Use

Please DO NOT bring your cell phone onto school property during working hours.

As a representative of PLU and a student working toward personal, academic, and professional growth, your behavior in this position can help you prepare for future professional positions. Behaving responsibly, professionally and ethically will help you create positive working habits. Please observe the following rule regarding cell phone use:

Understanding that emergencies do come up and we also use our phones as clocks, please have your phone on SILENT NOT VIBRATE when on school property. It is a distraction and unprofessional.

Confidentiality

When working with youth, you may sometimes learn details about their progress, them, or their families. Such information is private and MUST remain confidential. If a student shares information with you that may necessitate mandatory reporting, immediately contact either the supervising classroom teacher or the building principal to initiate reporting. If you have questions/ concerns about information a child gives you, ask the Mentor Liaison, the classroom teacher, or the Project Coordinator.

Positive Encouragement

Be positive and use encouraging words. Reinforce positive behavior with specific praises such as “You really did a great job of . . . today.” You are encouraged to develop positive, professional, and purposeful relationships with your mentees. They look up to you.

Discipline

Establish positive relationships with your students. Learn names and something special about them. Be their advocate, rather than their watchdog. Gently remind disruptive students about the classroom rules of behavior. Help your students most by setting an example, commenting on appropriate behavior, and reminding them to improve behavior immediately following any issues. Consistently maintain the integrity of the relationship by being a mentor and guide, not necessarily a friend.

Touching

Touching is a sensitive issue. DO NOT hug, hold hands, or allow children to climb on you or hug you. High fives are okay. Be careful to protect yourself and the students.

Outside Communication

Restrict outside communication with students. DO NOT give out your phone number, email address, or home address to students. DO NOT allow students to Facebook you and do not electronically communicate with any of the mentees.

Safety and Injuries

Upon entering the school, be sure to sign in each day you are in the building. This is to verify and identify your presence in the building. Always wear a name tag/ visitors badge so that others know who you are.

Students with cuts or bloody noses must be sent to the office for assistance. DO NOT clean or treat an injury. All situations that involve bodily fluids (blood, runny nose, vomit) need to be handled by a school staff member with rubber gloves. DO NOT clean up after students. Get assistance!

If you, the mentor, are injured or sick in any way take proper and appropriate measures to clean and take care of the situation. If you are sick and must leave, contact the Mentor Liaison.

Mentor Training

Please keep this manual for your referenceand to use during mentor training in conjunction with the course syllabus.

Notes

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MENTORING TIPS AND STRATEGIES

Mentoring can be a very rewarding experience for both you and the students. To achieve the most from your sessions, keep these tips in mind.

?Meet the students in a relaxed and friendly manner.

?Learn your students’ names and how to pronounce them correctly.

?Begin by letting the student know you are interested in him or her by asking about interests, friends, or problems.

?Keep your schedule. If you cannot keep your scheduled times, contact the Mentor Liaisons and the Program Coordinator ASAP.

?Give the students your full attention. Listen to what they say.

?Be prepared. Check to see if materials are ready. If necessary, ask the student’s classroom teacher questions about what you are doing before getting started.

?Let the students know you are human. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

?Know the school rules and follow them.

?Keep the lessons moving. If the student loses interest, try to change how you are working with the student.

?Let the student know you expect him/her to do well.

?Ask for help when you have a problem or are unsure how to handle something. The school staff and Mentor Liaisons are available to help.

?Be patient with the students and with yourself.

?Give students limited and sensible choices. “We need to work on ______and______today. Which do you want to start with?”

?Vary the sessions.

?Respond to the student’s interest.

?Acknowledge when things aren’t going well. “This is hard—that’s okay”. Involve the child in the problem-solving process.