Mentoring Partnerships Unique Places to Find Mentors Diane Neal Assistant Professor of Education Coordinator of Field Experiences Bluffton University PROJECT MORE CONFERENCE May 8, 2006

Bluffton University 350 of 1,200 enrolled students are either education majors or seeking licensure. In addition to extensive field experiences like Early Field Experience and Clinical Practice, many courses include required focused field hour components: ECH 200 hrs. IS 145 hrs. MC 105 hrs. A/YA, MA, VOC 75 hrs.

Placement Challenges Finding placement sites and situations that meet the specific field experience goals. Finding willing placement sites and classrooms. Scheduling issues – matching college student’s schedule with school’s schedule. Transportation issues

The University/K-12 Connection BU currently uses HOSTS and Reading Tutors programs for field experience for three courses: Phonics and Word Identification Reading Assessment Educational Psychology and Classroom Assessment (ECH, IS, and MC only)

Placement Process First day of classes, field coordinator collects college students’ daily schedules. Field Coordinator and Project MORE Director meet a few days later to find a tutoring time that meets licensure, schedule, and transportation requirements/limitations.

2 nd week of classes: College students are notified of placement and any glitches are worked out. HOSTS and Reading Tutors representatives come to BU classes for orientation sessions. College students begin tutoring sessions by 3 rd week of classes. Weekly electronic journals and final reflective field experience report are submitted to course professor.

Benefits for the Institution Placement efficiency More compatible situations/activities to support course goals. Direct and repeated application of skills Structured environment Sense of efficacy – “I am making a difference.”

Journal Excerpts “Overall, I really enjoyed my time spent with these two very special girls. More than their reading difficulties, I see their potential and believe with more help, they can become independent readers.” “My HOSTS child was a remarkable person and one who taught me so much – I thank him for that!”

“I can remember thinking to myself after several weeks, ‘Am I really helping and making a difference?’ My questions were answered the next week. Samantha rarely self-corrected herself. She would usually look up at me and try to pry the word out of me, even after I would make strategy suggestions. This day, however, as she struggled with a multi-syllabic word and looked up at me, before I could tell her what I usually do, she said, ‘WAIT!’ and said the word slowly. She proceeded to say the word in full to me and then continued reading. That was without a doubt the greatest feeling I had over the course of the thirteen weeks. Those moments, the ‘Ah-ha!’ moments, are the reasons that I want to be a teacher.”

“Overall, this HOSTS experience was the most rewarding out of all of my field experiences so far. I really felt a connection with Jason, which was very rewarding. I feel like I was able to find what some of my strengths are when working with students, and what types of things they respond to best. This was a very encouraging experience for me as I was able to apply what I learned in my college class to the classroom.” “I never knew I could be so patient with someone. I feel I have learned to embrace the difficulties of these students and to help them find their own ways to develop reading strategies rather than giving them the answer each time they are struggling with a reading task.”

“One day it was almost painful to simply listen to the children struggling through the words. Then it dawned on me how much more painful it must be for them to have to endure this upward battle daily. I sometimes take for granted how easily reading seemed to ‘click’ for me. “ “It really is amazing how a little one-on-one attention to a child can help him so much. He will need reading help for a while, but I truly believe that he can eventually be at the same level as his peers. All it takes is one person believing he can do it!”

Benefits for the School & Child BU students filled over minute mentor slots this past year! One on one mentoring provides focused support in targeted literacy skills. Provides more general literacy opportunities for child. Helps child improve self-esteem and relational skills.

College/P-12 Mentoring Partnerships “A Win-Win Situation”