PROS

PROS
      This page lists links to sites that provide arguments in favor of mentoring.

      Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is suited to the notion of mentoring:

      • Supports and amplifies intellectual activity by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and experience.
      • Gives students access to the expertise of specialists in various fields of interests.
      • Provides mentors with immediate access to students' work.
      • Increases opportunities for students to express their ideas and receive feedback.
      • Is time independent - providing for the varying schudule needs of participants.
      • Is place independent - providing access and collaboration with experts, regardless of the geographical location.
      • Provides a safe conduit for mentoring.
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  • Clinton calls for Volunteers on May 10 @ Penn State commencement, Clinton calls for Volunteers in Communities and Schools.
  • President Clinton's America's Reading Challenge is a perfect mentoring project if we are to get more Americans reading.
  • Common Core
  • Dept of Energy Success Stories
  • Hewlett Packard Testimonials
  • A rural Georgia/South Carolina project
  • Studying the Strengths of Older Americans

  • Common Core Massachusetts Dept. of Ed. Common Core provides a guideline and plan for the state to incorporate mentoring amongst other things.
    The Common Core emphasizes that teaching and learning must be interdisciplinary. It serves as a guide for educators, families, students, community members, school committees,and business leaders to examine and refine current educational expectations, goals, policies, and practices at the local school level. In essence, the State of Massachusetts is asking all of its citizens to become more involved in the education of its students. Certainly, a mentoring program would be an important part of this process - as each local community taps its own resources.
    In the section on What are our Responsibilities to Support the Common Core of Learning?, the document spells out the mentoring ideas in #7: "The Massachusetts business community must play an active role with the schools in encouraging student mentoring, school-to-work programs, and other innovative ways to make education relevant for students."

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  • Dept. of Energy Success Stories about mentoring:
    The Department of Energy has compiled a very comprehesive database of Mentoring Success Stories, listed by: State, Institution, Education, and Organization. Many of the projects sponsored by the Dept. of Energy and other departments have provided document after document which explain the mentoring programs - how they were instituted, implemented, and monitored. In addition, participants in the mentoring projects related their feelings about the success and failure of their projects. This site contains thousands of documents from around the country.
    It would be a great site to visit and explore before you undertake your own mentoring project for ideas, advice, and inspiration.

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  • Hewlett Packard testimonials
    The program manager has posted e-mail messages from around the world exclaiming their sincere enthusiasm for the program.

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  • SRO - Merge Student Mentoring Program East Augusta Middle School in Georgia:
    The Merge Student Mentoring Program was initiated in May, 1991, in Augusta, Georgia at the East Augusta Middle School, starting with 25 adult mentors who were graduates of historically black colleges and universities. The program has continued to expand in the area. Today there are over 150 adult mentors in 7 cities in South Carolina and Georgia. Students are currently being assigned mentors from 10 schools in the area - 8 in South Carolina and 2 in Georgia - and the numbers continue to grow. The purpose of the program was to alleviate the drop-out, violence, and teenage pregnancy rate in the area. Field trips are provided for all of the students of the program. During the calendar year, the assigned students (mentees) experienced successes in several areas. Some students went from failing to passing, others from C's to A's. Parents and teachers commented on improvements in attitude and self discipline. Bob Manning, a WSRC manager, describes the program as a rewarding experience. He has seen his students more motivated and determined to perform better as a result of the one- on-one mentoring. Rosie Berry, Principal at Scholfield Middle School, stated that students are experiencing less discipline problems and are more serious about their studies. For the first time, many are thinking and asking questions about occupations and careers - as compared to initial meetings being dominated by music and sports. Gwendolyn Conner (mentor) said, "many of the students have never left their towns to gain exposure to other experiences that could aid in their development." School grounds are now a pleasure to be on. "I don't want to go to school today" used to be a familiar echo for many of these students. Another student commented, "I have been in school for 7 years and just received my first A; it feels good. I know now that I can do it." "Merging" the experience of successful adults with the raw potential of America's youth is really making a difference.

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  • Studying the Strengths of Older Americans is an article from Chronicle of Higher Education Oct 4, 1996, page B3 by Laura Carstensen which speaks about the high number of older Americans looking for useful work. On one half we are spending more time assisting the ailing without concern for the well. The article looks for ways to assist the well.

    We think mentoring is the answer.

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