There is increasing recognition of an impending shortage of educational leaders to fill vacant administrative positions. Consequently, interest in finding ways to support, guide, and retain novice principals has emerged. Mentoring is a popular and effective means of transferring knowledge from an experienced principal to a newly appointed one. Little attention, however, has been given to the process of formal administrative mentorships and how they can be shaped to meet the varied needs of new school principals. The purpose of this study was to explore the personal experiences of novice and veteran principals and the underpinnings of the formal administrative mentoring program in one local school district in Virginia. Seventeen principals were interviewed as participants in this case study. The study was implemented through the use of qualitative research methods of inquiry, including interviews with an administrator of the mentoring program, in-depth interviews with principals, and examination of available documents. This research presents the perspectives of both novice and veteran principals regarding the extent to which their formal mentoring experiences helped them. The data that emerged from this study demonstrated that the formal administrative mentoring experience provided the participants with a greater clarity of role, developed their understanding of the organization, thus facilitating their socialization into it, and helped with diminishing their feelings of isolation. The participants reported that mentoring helped increase their understanding of three major roles of the contemporary principal: (a) instructional leader; (b) school visionary; and (c) team builder. According to the novices, mentors helped them learn how to integrate into the school system through interaction with their communities and how to negotiate their needs within the school division. Novice principals' responses reflected ambivalence about this particular area of their mentoring experience and the help it afforded, however; their responses appeared to be related to their years of experience and the positions they had previously held in the division. Mentees and mentors alike reported that mentoring helped reduce their feelings of isolation through the development of camaraderie with one another as well as a network of colleagues. Most of the participants in the study reflected overall positive perceptions related to their formal administrative mentoring experiences. / Ed. D.

The primary goals of this qualitative case study were to analyze and evaluate the perceived benefits of a mentoring program on Latino mentees, mentors and school culture. A secondary area of interest was that of the interpersonal and programmatic dynamics that presented themselves during the implementation of a mentoring for urban Latino high school students. Data collection instruments included interviews, observations, questionnaires, journals and program documents. The findings suggest that mentors perceived the programmatic features of training, monitoring and Mentor Mingles as being very supportive of their mentoring role. Mentor qualities that fell into the Trust Theme, Personal Concern Theme, and Approachable Theme were considered to be very effective in building positive relationships with the mentee. The study found that there were four significant challenges that faced this mentoring program: time, financial resources, recruiting mentors and the building and maintenance of effective mentor/mentee relationships. Additionally the study found that Latino students had many perspectives on how to improve their high experience and build school culture. Implications for practice include ensuring that mentoring programs are built around programmatic features that constitute best practice; making mentors aware that certain qualities are more effective in building quality relationships with the mentee; developing strategies for the challenges of time, recruiting mentors, financial resources and building and maintaining effective mentor/mentee relationships; and developing the schools ability to assess school culture among certain student populations. Limitations of this study included the researcher's role as headmaster, researcher bias, small sample size and the relatively brief study time. Recommendations for future study include monitoring the mentored Latino students and reporting on their graduation rates, conducting an additional study with a control group of Latino students who do not have the benefit of participating in a mentoring program, studying the impact of family configurations as they relate to the success of the mentees, an analysis of the mentor's age and success of the mentoring relationship, a similar mentoring program study on a different ethnic group, and a study and analysis of students mentored by teachers as opposed to non-teachers. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration. / Thesis advisor: / Thesis advisor: / Thesis advisor:

There has been little research on what is necessary for a mentoring relationship to be considered successful from the novice teacher's perspective. Although researchers have asserted that mentoring promotes new teacher retention and improves new teacher skills, new teachers are still leaving the profession, causing a shortage of teachers in school districts across the United States. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the meaning of a successful mentoring relationship from the perspective of 6 selected elementary teachers who have been in the teaching field fewer than 5 years and who have participated in a mentoring relationship for more than 2 years with the same mentor. Social cognitive theory was used to examine the mentoring relationship. Interview questions were used to examine participants' perceptions and experiences of their mentoring relationship and the impact of that relationship. Novice teachers participated in face-to-face, semistructured interviews, which were recorded and transcribed. The Modified van Kamm method was used to analyze the transcribed interviews. These results were reviewed, coded, and organized into categories and themes. The findings indicated that the experiences which had the greatest impact on the 6 novice teachers were time spent with the mentor, communication, quality of the relationship, and support from the mentor. The implications for social change may include improved mentoring programs for school districts in order that new teachers remain in the teaching profession. These results can also be used to inform mentor teachers in developing improved and more effective mentoring relationships.

The goal of this study was to identify some of the key stressors novice and veteran teachers face and to determine if there are any particular steps that administrators of the school systems can take to ensure the success of all teachers. The qualitative research method was used in this study. An interview guide was developed and used during the interview process. Eighteen teachers, nine new teachers and nine veteran teachers all with general education classroom experience participated in the research. The interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim, and then analyzed to develop themes. Themes emerged regarding issues that teachers felt were the biggest stress factors that they face. They were also found in relation to the traits that participants felt to be crucial to the success of new teachers including the teacher preparation program, and types of mentoring and induction programs in place, as well as the leadership style of the principal and professional development opportunities that were offered, and their impact on stress. Themes from the study show that teaching is a very stressful occupation, and that all teachers, regardless of the number of years they have been teaching, face similar stress factors. However, steps can be taken to help relieve stress that both new and veteran teachers are facing. Some changes may need to be made in teacher preparation programs, as well as the implementation of formal mentoring and induction programs. Principals and Supervisors can also play an important role in the stress levels that teachers face through their leadership style and professional development plans.

The author presents original research findings on the subject of the impact of a youth mentoring program, Fresh Start, on a group of at-risk adolescents in the United States. The article opens with an introduction and overview of the subject of youth mentoring, and proceeds to a review of the literature that describes types of mentoring and the varied outcomes mentoring programs have been documented to have on target populations. The literature also explains the concept of at-risk adolescents, and explains how and why mentoring programs are believed to be effective interventions for working with this population. The author then presents the methodology, research design, and procedures that were used for the study, and identifies the organization that served as the subject of the study. The researcher explained that data were collected from three distinct participant groups: students, teachers, and parents. The researcher documents the data collection and analysis techniques, and reports the results. Based on the study conducted, the researcher concluded that the Fresh Start mentoring intervention influenced statistically significant positive outcomes for participants with respect to the at-risk students’ behaviour and academic performance. Taking this conclusion into consideration, the researcher reflected upon the components of a mentoring program that are most likely to predict academic and social success for students who have been deemed at-risk, and offered recommendations for future research and program development. / Sociology / D. Phil.(Sociology )

The author presents original research findings on the subject of the impact of a youth mentoring program, Fresh Start, on a group of at-risk adolescents in the United States. The article opens with an introduction and overview of the subject of youth mentoring, and proceeds to a review of the literature that describes types of mentoring and the varied outcomes mentoring programs have been documented to have on target populations. The literature also explains the concept of at-risk adolescents, and explains how and why mentoring programs are believed to be effective interventions for working with this population. The author then presents the methodology, research design, and procedures that were used for the study, and identifies the organization that served as the subject of the study. The researcher explained that data were collected from three distinct participant groups: students, teachers, and parents. The researcher documents the data collection and analysis techniques, and reports the results. Based on the study conducted, the researcher concluded that the Fresh Start mentoring intervention influenced statistically significant positive outcomes for participants with respect to the at-risk students’ behaviour and academic performance. Taking this conclusion into consideration, the researcher reflected upon the components of a mentoring program that are most likely to predict academic and social success for students who have been deemed at-risk, and offered recommendations for future research and program development. / Sociology / D. Phil.(Sociology )

abstract: Many college campuses institute residency requirements intended to provide intentional support, engagement, and assistance in the transition into life as a first-year college student. However, first-year students opting to continue living at home with family and commuting to campus each day has become a growing trend. This group of students can often be more sizable than some may assume and their developmental needs can be consistent with those of their on-campus peers. The objective of this mixed-methods action research study was to better understand how peer-to-peer experiences and opportunities are perceived and to describe and explore the concept of social capital and sense of belonging within the first-year commuter student population. This feeling of isolation can often expand to a lack of campus involvement and engagement in social opportunities. As a result of the perceived needs of this growing first-year commuter student population, a peer mentoring program was launched as a pilot to localize, personalize, and support students by providing a peer student leader in the form of a commuter peer mentor (CPM). Results from the qualitative and quantitative data collected as a part of this study demonstrated that first-year students value specific and easily-identified resources made available to their unique need cases and while many first-year commuter students may feel well supported and connected academically, they articulated challenges with social connections within the university setting. The understandings gained from this action research can inform higher education and student affairs practitioners as they seek to establish or improve programs, resources, and practices that intentionally and thoughtfully support first-year commuter students. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2020

Research has found that children who experience the incarceration of a parent may experience behavioral, psychological, and emotional problems. Studies have identified treatment programs and interventions designed to alleviate the long-term effects of parental incarceration on children. Limited research exists on the impact of treatment programs and interventions on these children. The purpose of this research was to determine if treatment programs are successful in reducing future incarceration rates for adults that experienced the incarceration of a parent during childhood. Research questions examined how treatment programs and interventions impacted the sample population. A phenomenological approach guided the study methods and purposeful sampling strategy guided selection of 20 participants 18 years or older, who experienced an incarcerated parent and experienced subsequent treatment programs or interventions. Face-to Face interviews were conducted using a modified version of The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Investigative Interview Protocol. Open coding was used to identify and analyze common themes that emerged from the interviews. The findings revealed that treatment and intervention significantly impacted participants. Participants believed exposure to resources that are not available in their environment assisted them with living productive lives without any incidents of being incarcerated. Treatment programs create positive social change by providing support that aids in reducing the potential incarceration rate for children in this category, equips them with the tools for living productive lives, and informs development of innovative programs.

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This diploma thesis is concerned with medium-term benefits of peer mentorng programs from the point of resilience and social support to the care recipients- children and adolescents from risk environment or with risk factors influenced. Data of this study comes from International peer mentoring survey Big Brothers Big Sisters- Pět P in Czech republic. The study is important for its in-depth and longitudinal (1 year) survey of 7 mentoring couples. Thesis is secondary analysis of mentioned study and is interessed in concepts of resilience and social support in context of mentoring community intervences. Key words: Mentoring, Mentoring programs, Voluntary, Resilience, Social support, Social network, Social capital, Attachement Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)