Cross-age peer mentoring for elementary students with behavioral and academic risk factors

Abstract

In many cases, the school failure cycle begins in elementary school for students with specific risk factors. Young students with learning difficulties and behavioral problems require a timely and sufficient program to prevent poor school outcomes. After-school mentoring programs are effective in providing meaningful relationships, structure, and academic support, thus mitigating risk factors and improving academic achievement. This case example describes a year-long, cross-age peer mentoring program between high school students identified as gifted and elementary students with risk factors attending adjacent schools with support from a local university. The positive results of this community-based mentoring program include improved academic grades, teacher perceptions, student-rated self-efficacy, and social validity. These results are presented along with implications for practice.

Keywords:

• After school
• at-risk
• community-based programs
• mentoring
• school outcomes

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara C. McDaniel

Sara McDaniel is an associate professor at the University of Alabama. Her current research interests are targeted behavioral interventions, interventions for students placed at risk, and preventative interventions.

Kevin D. Besnoy

Kevin Besnoy is the director of ACCESS Virtual Learning and associate director of K–12 programs for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama.