A Qualitative Study of the Motivating Factors, Perceptions, and Experiences of Mentors Involved with Elementary Students During In-school and After-school Programs
This qualitative study focused on the thoughts, attitudes, and opinions of mentors working with elementary age students. Volunteers were taken for the study from two mentoring programs; an academically based tutoring program which took place during the school day and a more relationally oriented program involving teens working with students after school. Both programs took place in a public school with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged children. Participants were asked questions about their perceptions of student needs, their successes with their individual mentee(s), the strength of the program they were involved in, and about their personal thoughts and opinions on their experience. These results have been extrapolated into further insights and suggestions for continued success and for building greater effectiveness into mentoring programs. Suggestions include ideas on recruiting and training mentors, greater communication between mentors and teachers, and developing longer term relationships between mentors and students
