Outcomes
Student reflection: "I think it will be fun showing them what we've done, our experiences and what they'll be going into."
Student response to the mentoring programme has been favourable. Rather than struggling with the increased workload and higher expectations of Year 11 and NCEA, students started the year with a clear idea of what could be done and the knowledge that it was achievable.
Year 11 students found discussions with their mentors and viewing their mentor's portfolios particularly valuable.
The Year 12 students said that the students they mentored were exactly like they had been at that stage. It was easy to talk to them, and this increased their confidence and enthusiasm for the project. The mentored students are positive about taking up the opportunity of coming back in Year 12 as peer mentors and showing their portfolios to the new students.
Claire says it was pleasing to see how the Year 12 students took on responsibility for mentoring.
In summary, the scheme helps teachers to:
- establish an environment that encourages and supports students to overcome the 'dip' – a slump in motivation that occurs a few weeks into the first term, as the novelty of the new year wears off;
- support student learning by helping students structure and plan their activities;
- support student achievement by providing a formal opportunity for students to interact with older peers and encouraging this interaction to be ongoing;
- expose students to the required level expectation of student achievement in terms of both their ongoing practice and end results.
