Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program

1. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Training Opportunity

2. Agenda Introductions – 5 minutes Review of information prior on Mentorship – 10 minutes Assets – 10 minutes Bingo – 15 minutes Maslow’s Hierarchy – 15 minutes Communication Skills – 15 minutes Active Listening – 10 minutes It’s A Sign – 25 minutes Developing Healthy Relationships (Teacher, Mentor, Mentee, Sensitivity, and Post It) – 30 minutes Bachelor of Study Skills -20 minutes Roles, Responsibilities, and Procedures 15 minutes PawsitivePals’ Creed – 10 minutes Connecting – 15 minutes How Do We Ensure – 15 minutes Students will complete the “Creed” or Expectations, Rules of Conduct, ideas regarding agendas, reporting to homeroom teachers and staff mentor liaison Combine ideas together to create a Mentor Handbook

3. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Arrange yourself in a circle, alphabetically by first name. Introduce yourself and tell one reason why you will make a great mentor. Move into groups of 6-8 students. Groups must have equal number of males and females. The person on the right of you will then introduce you and tell why you will be a great mentor. Training

4. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Engages in a positive relationship with the child. • Gives attention to the child. • Has a positive self-esteem about himself/herself. • Reacts well to stressful situations. • Tolerates frustrating situations. • Listens well. • Communicates on a level that the child can understand. • Is stable. • Provides leadership. • Is a positive role model. • Meets on weekly basis with the mentee • Shows up on time for sessions. • Is willing to serve a minimum of one year in the program, hopefully more than that! • Cares about helping a needy child. • Is not a judgmental person. • Nurtures a relationship that respects the child’s dignity. • Accepts responsibilities. • Reinforces student’s success. A "Good Mentor" is someone who?

5. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Replace the role of a parent/guardian. • Expect dramatic changes in attitude, self-esteem or attendance quickly. Mentor is a process that takes time! • Provide solutions to all the issues facing student. • Break the trust they have established, unless it is life threatening to the student. What is a “Good Mentor” NOT Expected To Do?

6. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Students benefit by: • Receiving the support and guidance of a caring adult. • Receiving assistance with academic endeavors. • Experiencing greater self-esteem and motivation to succeed. • Improving interpersonal relationships, such as with teachers and family. • Receiving assistance in choosing a career path. What are the benefits of a Student Mentor Program?

7. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Business and Organizations benefit by: • Fostering good community relations. • Contributing to the quality of the future workforce. • Improving employee morale. • Enhancing employee skills. What are the benefits of a Student Mentor Program?

8. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Schools benefit by: • Improving student performance. • Improving student attendance. • Increasing student retention. What are the benefits of a Student Mentor Program?

9. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • 90% of mentors saw a positive change in the child they were mentoring • 88% of students showed improved literacy skills • 64% had developed higher levels of self-esteem Mentors • 85% of volunteers feel they have a positive influence on the community • 89% felt better about themselves • 66% are prouder of the company they work for IN-SCHOOL MENTORING MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE

10. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program • Code of behavior (Group contract): Establish a code of behavior, such as the “Full Value Contract”, the Outward Bound motto, the organization’s code, or a code  developed by the group early in the program. • What is our groups Code of Behaviors? • How will we treat our Mentee? • Mutual Respect – share some common interests and understanding of each other. Develop a respectful attitude for each other. Shared respect is what bonds the two students together. Qualities to develop in Mentors:

11. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Research proves that Developmental Assets assist in developing healthy, caring, and responsible youth. We will be building assets today; however, you will need to commit to further development throughout life. 40 Developmental Assets are divided into 8 categories: Support, Empowerment, Boundaries and Expectations, Constructive Use of Time, Commitment to Learning, Positive Values, Social Competencies, and Positive Identity. Appendix 2, 3, and 4. 40 Developmental Assets

12. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Society is concerned with noticing youth problems. Not building on the positives, thus we talk about drug use, crime, teenage pregnancy, and violence. Appendix 5. Rather than blaming individuals, we need to develop the skills to bring all credit. Many times child, parents, friends, or school are blamed for these situations. All resources need to be aligned for success. “It takes a village to raise a child.” It is a movement from negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Asset Building Difference Research indicates the more assets a student is involved in, the less likelihood to be involved in controversial behaviours.

13. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Here are six situations, in your groups of six communicate how you can make the situation more positive for the individual that just created the error. Little brother just spiller his juice on your homework, which was left on the kitchen table. Your curling teammate just throw the wrong turn and missed the shot. Your ride is late, thus making you late for class. Your friend accidentally slips his yogurt on you during dinner. Your sister lends your favourite book out to her friend that you were just about to read. A friend posts negative comments about you on the Internet. Asset Building Difference

14. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Caring School ClimateYouth As ResourcesService To OthersPositive Peer InfluenceAchievement MotivationSchool EngagementHomeworkCaring Asset Areas

15. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program This is not a program, but a belief system. You need establish techniques to handle drug use, teenage pregnancy, and violence. You need to establish a means to bring yourself and others around you CREDIT. You need to find a way to focus on the positives, rather than the negatives. Asset Areas ”Asset Approach” is a change in one’s thinking from a problem focus to a positive focus. Rather than blaming, one needs to claim responsibility and find “solutions”. Appendix 6 and 7

16. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Each table group to work together as a team. Each member must contribute at least once to the Bingo questions. You will need to use your 40 Developmental Assets page to fill the sheet in. Write your name and an explanation for each category. Once the page is completed, team needs to yell “PAWSITIVE”. Completed team must share their information with all the other groups. Which assets are important for Mentorship? Which assets might you have the opportunity to promote in others? Appendix 8 Bingo

17. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a theory called the “Hierarchy of Needs”. He organized human needs. The most obvious are at the bottom of the pyramid (physiological needs: hunger and thirst – need to be addressed first). Next was safety, belongingness, self-esteem, and finally self-actualization. Appendix 9 Maslow’s Hierarchy

18. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Maslow’s Hierarchy Cards should be arranged in order of the 5 Need Levels on the wall. Guide will show all students a picture, popsicle stick will be drawn and mentor will tape pictures to one of the five levels. As a whole group, mentors will discuss what on Maslow’s Hierarchy the picture belongs. Replace picture if need be! Appendix 10 Maslow’s Hierarchy Activity

19. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program How does Maslow’s Hierarchy relate to tutoring? (Relationship between Mentor and Mentor Advisors) Think of a situation where a student may be at level one or level two. Discuss. How could this affect academic performance? How could this affect the tutoring relationship? What situations need to be referred to a Mentor Advisor (not to be handled by a Mentor alone)? In what situations should a Mentor talk to an advisor about possible reassignment? Maslow’s Hierarchy Discussions

20. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Know what communication really is.Communication is the process of transferring signals/messages between a sender and a receiver through various methods (written words, nonverbal cues, spoken words). It is also the mechanism we use to establish and modify relationships. Sender Message Receiver Feedback Sender Communication

21. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 1. Choose the right moment and the right place. If you need to discuss something in private with a person, make sure that the choice of venue is private and that you do not feel uncomfortable about the possibility of being overheard. On the other hand, if you need to make your point before a group of people, ensure that the location is somewhere that your discussion will be audible to all who are present to ensure that you engage each and every person in the group. 10 Tips For Better Communication

22. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 2. Organize and clarify ideas in your mind before you attempt to communicate them. If you are feeling passionate about a topic, you may become garbled if you haven't already thought of some key points to stick with. A good rule-of-thumb is to choose three main points and keep your communication focused on those. That way, if the topic wanders off course, you will be able to return to one or more of these three key points without feeling flustered. 3. Stay on-topic. Make sure all facts, stories, allusions, etc, add to the conversation/debate. Again, refer to the three key points. If you have already thought through the issues and the essence of the ideas that you wish to put across to others, it is likely that some pertinent phrases will stick in your mind. Do not be afraid to use these to underline your points - even very confident and well-known speakers re-use their key lines again and again for major effect. 10 Tips For Better Communication

23. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 4. Be clear about the purpose of the communication. For example, your purpose could be to inform others, to obtain information or to initiate action. You need to know this in advance. 5. Manifest constructive attitudes and beliefs. The attitudes you bring to communication will have a huge impact on the way you compose yourself and interact with others. Choose to be honest, patient, optimistic, sincere, respectful, and accepting of others. Be sensitive to other people's feelings, and believe in others' competence. 10 Tips For Better Communication

24. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 6. Make eye contact. Whether you are speaking or listening, looking into the eyes of the person with whom you are conversing can make the interaction more successful. Eye contact conveys interest, and encourages your partner to be interested in you in return. In less intimate settings, when giving a speech or when in front of several people, holding the eyes of different members of your audience can personalize what you are saying and maintain attention. 7. Be aware of what your body is saying.Body language can say so much more than a mouthful of words. An open stance with arms relaxed at your sides tells anyone around you that you are approachable and open to hearing what they have to say. Arms crossed and shoulders hunched, on the other hand, suggest disinterest in conversation or unwillingness to communicate. Often, communication can be stopped before it starts by body language that tells people you don't want to talk. Appropriate posture and an approachable stance can make even difficult conversations flow more smoothly. 10 Tips For Better Communication

25. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 8. Have courage to say what you think!Be confident in knowing that you can make worthwhile contributions to conversation. Take time each day to be aware of your opinions and feelings so you can adequately convey them to others. Individuals who are hesitant to speak because they do not feel their input would be worthwhile need not fear; what is important or worthwhile to one person may not be to another and may be more so to someone else. In a world so very big, someone is bound to agree with you, or to open your eyes to an even deeper perspective. The courage to say what you think can afford you the opportunity to learn more than you knew before. Speak clearly enough to be heard. When you are saying what you think, have the confidence to say it so as to be heard. An appropriate tone and volume can inform listeners that you mean what you say, you have thought about what you are saying, and what you are saying is worth hearing. Using proper inflection helps ensure that your listeners hear exactly what you are saying, and reduces possibilities for misunderstanding. 10 Tips For Better Communication

26. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program 9. Practice. Developing advanced communication skills begins with simple interactions. Communication skills can be practiced every day in settings that range from the more social to the more professional. New skills take time to refine, but each time you use your communication skills you open yourself to opportunities and future partnerships. 10.Develop effective listening skills. Not only should one be able to speak effectively, one must listen to the other person's words and engage in communication on what the other person is speaking about. Avoid the impulse to listen only for the end of their sentence so that you can blurt out the ideas or memories that come to your mind while the other person is speaking. 10 Tips For Better Communication

27. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. 2. Encourage – use words and a voice that shows you’re interested. 3. Clarify – ask questions or restate statements to eliminate wrong interpretation. 4. Restate – restate the basic facts to demonstrate an understanding. 5. Reflect – identifying or guessing at feelings to show empathy. 6. Summarize – restating major ideas expressed to review progress. 7. Validate – show appreciation and value feelings. 7 Tips For Better Listening

28. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program In your table groups, mentors brainstorm examples of each type of active listening statement. During this process, each group is assigned an active listening skill to role play. When groups finish, each group takes a turn role playing its assigned skill, with other groups sharing their examples of that skill afterward. In what situations might these statements be appropriate? How could active listening skills help the mentorship relationship? Appendix 12 Better Listener Activity

29. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program To give you an opportunity to practice your communication skills, the following activity will challenge each student’s ability to give directions and to LISTEN to directions as well. Because of this it is very easy to omit the simpler details of the topic. Mentors will be divided into groups of six. In each group, one person is the guide and the other are the tourists. As the tourist tours to his/her destination he/she must look for signs. So this challenge is for guide to describe signs without using certain ‘key’ words. One group member, the ‘guide’, will be given a sign card to describe, will the other group members will have paper and a pencil. Students should be positioned so that they are not likely to see each others paper. Before we get into the groups, here are the guidelines. It’s A Sign

30. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program The ‘guide’ must describe the sign to the others in the group without using gestures or the words listed on the drawing sheet. ‘Tourists’ must attempt to draw a picture on the description given by the ‘guide’. Tourists must not ask questions. After the ‘guide’ has thoroughly describe the sign, all drawings can be shared. A new guide is then selected, get a new sign card from the facilitator and describes the next sign. Process is more important than the product. It’s A Sign

31. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program How did the guide feel as the ‘guide’? How did the tourist feel as the ‘tourist’? How does this relate to Mentorship? What skills would have helped in aiding better communication through this activity? It’s A Sign

32. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program In the mentorship process, it is important for mentees to learn Pawsitive Pals acronym, “Peers Always offering Whole Support”. Mentees will need your assistance to improve academically, but in the meantime, a supportive relationship is developed. Boundaries are imperative and need to be addressed, but the basic assumption is that mentees will more likely continue to ask that the Mentor to develop a friendship. Developing Helping Relationships

33. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Good teachers clearly recognize the power of the relationship they have with students. In this discussion time, Mentors are asked to talk about their positive experiences with teachers. On a Smartboard we will write the answers to the following questions: Think of your favourite teacher, without using names, what made him or her your favourite teachers? What characteristics does that teacher have? What are the positive stories you can tell about that teacher? How can these characteristics be compared to you as a mentor? Read “A Simple Gesture” from Chicken Soup for the Soul. Teacher, Mentor, and Mentee

34. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Like in “Communication Skills” this part of the training also promotes interpersonal competence (asset #33). Our definition of interpersonal competence will be “a young person has empathy, sensitivity and friendship skills.” In this discussion, students will learn the importance of empathy and how to recognize sensitive issues. You will sit in groups of 6 mentors. One of us trainers will facilitate your discussions. Ground rules for this activity are: Confidentiality No Put Downs The person with the ball is the only person that can speak Each person is expected to share, but has the right to pass. Sensitivity

35. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Here are the following questions to think about and respond to… Think of a time when you did not understand something. What was that like? What are some of the feelings faced by mentees that need a mentors assistance? How might we accidentally hurt feelings in a mentoring relationship? What could the repercussions of that be? How could we be especially sensitive to the needs and feelings of the student we mentor? Sensitivity

36. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program While in the circle groups from the Sensitivity discussion, introduce Post It. One way to practice sensitivity is to practice recognizing strengths. As a group, discuss the following: Define the word “compliment”. How does it feel to receive a compliment? How can you recognize strengths in someone you don’t know well? Why is this important in the mentoring process? Relationship? Post It Activity

37. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Pass out Post-It notes to all the mentors and ask them to write down the strengths they see in other mentors. They have ten minutes to write their compliments. Then they must post the compliment on the back of the individual they wrote the compliment about. Compliments should be sincere, specific, and positive. Remember… one of the most sensitive gesture a person can do is to make sure all mentors receive a compliment. Post It Activity

38. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program This part of the training focuses on the importance of tutoring. We know that you have good study skills already, but here are some tools that might strengthen your study habits. You will earn a Bachelor of Study Skills once you have taught someone here some study techniques. Each group will receive information on organization, notetaking, memory, test taking and general study information. You can also brainstorm other study skills that you have personally developed. You can research information on the above listed skills or those skills that you brainstorm and present your findings to the remaining groups. Before doing this though, brainstorm study skills that assist you in being successful. Bachelor of Study Skills

39. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program You will then create a PowerPoint Presentation on the study skill that has been assigned to you. Our Pawsitive Pals Leaders will then collect these Bachelor of Study Presentations and make a book out of them, which we will reflect on once a month during our meetings. If Pawsitive Pals ever need to use the binder for their tutoring or themselves, then the binder will be accessible to them. Bachelor of Study Skills

40. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program As a mentor there are several expectations. By signing our Pawsitive Pals’ Creed you are making a commitment to assisting other meet life expectations. This is a very serious commitment, and if you are hesitant in signing please let one our the leaders know immediately. When signing the creed and being a member of Pawsitive Pals confidentiality is essential. As some students may not want others to know why you are “visiting” them. So what is confidentiality? Who can I talk to? Why is peer tutoring important in Pawsitive Pals? RTI Whato does that mean for you as peer tutors? Roles, Responsibilities, and Procedures

41. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program As an organization, Pawsitive Pals members are expected to maintain confidentiality and be asset builders. Therefore to focus your direction, you need to write two individual goals as a Pawsitive Pals member. This is an important part of promoting in students asset #32, planning and decision-making. Make sure to hand in all creeds to us leaders so we can assist you develop. Keeping accurate logs is also an important responsibility. Reflection is a critical process that assits us develop. The comment part of the log encourages that for peer tutors, promoting the “Pawsitive (Positive) Identity” assets. Tutoring logs will be maintained on our website. Pawsitive Pals’ Creed

42. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program Connecting It is essential that you maintain contact with your mentee, ways that we will assist you is to provide scheduled times with student. Provide you with an internet based forms to allow you the opportunity to “complete all paper work” prior to meeting and not losing valuable meeting time. Therefore the following questions must be addressed on your Pawsitive Pal Meeting Form… When do I meet with my mentee? Where do I meet? What fun activities can I do with my mentee to develop a strong relationship? What do I do if the relationship is not working?

43. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program How Do We Ensure Our Pawsitive Pals Group Is Strong! Forms – online form allows Leaders to see which Mentors are not regularly meeting. Staff member to meet with mentees. One staff member will be in charge of meeting mentees to see how your relationship is with them. One staff member will be in charge of reviewing online forms. All three staff members will hold meetings with Mentors to discuss growth! How could fellow mentors help promote and report conduct to Leaders? Please fill out evaluation forms. These forms will assist us in providing stronger training opportunities!

44. Yorkdale Central Mentorship Program How Do We Ensure Our Pawsitive Pals Group Is Strong!