Mentoring Program ~ 1 ~ Running Head: Mentoring Program MENTORING PROGRAMS: COMPARING STUDENT PERFORMANCE TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS ON STUDENT SUCCESS By Thomas Alvarez Submitted to The Faculty of the Educational Specialist Program Northwest Missouri State University Department of Educational Leadership College of Education and Human Services Maryville, MO. 64468 Field Study Committee Members Phillip Messner Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for Requirements of 61-683 Research Paper September 20, 2012
Transcript
Mentoring Program
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Running Head: Mentoring Program
MENTORING PROGRAMS: COMPARING STUDENT PERFORMANCE TO
DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS ON
STUDENT SUCCESS
By
Thomas Alvarez
Submitted to
The Faculty of the Educational Specialist Program
Northwest Missouri State University
Department of Educational Leadership
College of Education and Human Services
Maryville, MO. 64468
Field Study Committee Members
Phillip Messner
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for Requirements of
61-683 Research Paper
September 20, 2012
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ABSTRACT
In this study, Check and Connect a school based mentoring program utilized to help high
school students increase their ability to complete their schooling. Thirty-six student’s data
was collected in the areas of attendance, credit accrual and grade point average prior to
their participation in the Check and Connect program. This data was then compared to
the data in the same areas following their participation in the mentoring program. A non-
experimental two group comparison was used to examine the data. A t-test was used to
analyze the data, to determine significance a .10 alpha level was used. This study’s
results show that students involved in the Check and Connect program made significant
gains in the areas of attendance, credit accrual and grade point average. These results
allowed the high school to determine that the school based mentoring program was
effective in promoting school completion for the students who participated in the
program.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT 2
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES 5
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction to the Study 6
Background, Issues and Concerns
Conceptual Underpinnings/Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Study Design
Research Questions
Null Hypothesis
Anticipated Benefits of Study
Limitations and Delimitations
CHAPTER TWO: Review of Literature 9
CHAPTER THREE: Research Design and Methodology 11
Research Design
Research Questions and Null Hypotheses
Study Group
Data Collection and Instrumentation Utilized
Data Analysis Strategies
CHAPTER FOUR: Presentation and Analysis of the Data 13
Review of Research Design
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Presentation of the Data Analysis
Summary
CHAPTER FIVE: Conclusions and Implications 16
Discussion of Findings
Recommendations for Further Study
REFERENCES 18
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LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1 T-Test Comparison of Days Absent 14
Table 2 T-Test Comparison of G.P.A 14
Table 3 T-Test Comparison of Credits Earned 15
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background, Issues and Concerns - This study investigated students participating in the
Check and Connect program at Maryville High School. Check and Connect is a data
driven mentoring program that aims to prevent students from dropping out of school.
“Mentoring is a protected relationship in which learning and experimentation occur
through analysis, examination, re-examination and reflection on practice, situations,
problems, mistakes and successes (of both mentors and mentees) to identify learning
opportunities and gaps. (McKimm, 2003) Mentors work with students on a consistent
basis to track areas of attendance, discipline referrals, credit accrual and grade point
average (G.P.A.). During this study three research questions were investigated through a
study of student’s data pre-mentoring program and their data post-mentoring program.
The first research question was: What affect does participating in a school based
mentoring program have a student’s attendance? The second research question was: What
affect does a school based mentoring program have on a student’s G.P.A.? The third
research question was: What affect does a school based mentoring program have on a
credits earned by a student? These questions led to the following null hypothesis: There is
no significant difference in attendance rate of students participating in a school based
mentoring program. There is no significant difference in G.P.A. of students participating
in a school based mentoring program. There is no significant difference in credits earned
for students who participate in a school based mentoring program.
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Practice under Investigation – The district wants to ensure the Check and Connect
program are beneficial to the students who are involved. In order to evaluate the
validity of the program data was collected to measure its effectiveness. This study
will be used as an assessment tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring
program.
Conceptual Underpinning/Statement of the Problem – The dropout rate for high school
students is approximately 25% nationally. That is way too high for anyone to accept. In a
continuing effort to be proactive in this area our school district began looking for
methods and programs to keep our dropout rate as low as possible. We found the Check
and Connect program and decided to institute in our school. Students disengage due to
negative interactions with adults, academic classes perceived as irrelevant; and a lack of
satisfaction during their high school years. (Scott, 2010) So in order to combat some of
these issues Check and Connect uses a mentoring based program to help students succeed
in their schooling. Maryville High School began using the Check and Connect program in
the fall of 2009. We believe that the program has been successful in helping our students.
Through this research we believe the data will show us the significance of our efforts.
Purpose of the Study - The purpose of the study was to identify if there were differences
in attendance, G.P.A. and credits earned when participating in a school based mentoring
program in a secondary school.
Study design - The dependent variable in the study was the data collected in the areas of
attendance, G.P.A. and credits earned. The independent variables in the study were the
pre-mentoring results and the post-mentoring results.
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Research Questions. The following research questions were constructed to study the
effectiveness of the Check and Connect program at Maryville High School.
RQ1: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on
a student’s attendance rate?
RQ2: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on
a student’s G.P.A.?
RQ3: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on
a student’s credit accrual?
Null hypotheses. These questions lead to the following null hypothesis.
H01: There is no significant difference in attendance rate of students participating
in a school based mentoring program.
H02: There is no significant difference in students G.P.A. when involved in a
mentoring program.
H03: There is no significant difference in credits earned by students in a school
based mentoring program.
Anticipated Benefits of the Study. Information from this study could be used to validate
the use of the Check and Connect school based mentoring program. This study will
provide a basis to determine the effectiveness of the school based mentoring program and
if the program should be continued.
Limitations and Delimitations. The sample size of this study is small which could cause
difficulties in accurately determining the effectiveness of the program. There is also only
short time frame in which data has been collected which could also affect the findings.
Maryville high School has had a very small dropout rate prior to the introduction of the
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Check and Connect program so the effect on the dropout rate will be difficult to
determine.
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A positive relationship is defined as one based upon mutual trust and open
communication. (Sinclair, 2003) Relationship building and mentoring are at the very
core of the Check & Connect program. Mentoring of students is nothing new in
education; in fact it is the basis of what all teachers hopefully do on a daily basis with all
of their students. What makes the Check and Connect program effective is that it is more
than just a mentoring program. Check and Connect focuses on increasing students’
engagement in school by targeting behaviors that can be altered, such as tardiness,
skipping class, nonattendance, office referrals, suspensions (Evelo et al., 1996). The four
main components of Check and Connect are as follows, a mentor who keeps education
salient for students, systematic monitoring (the “check” component), timely and
individualized intervention ( the “connect” component), and enhancing home-school
communication and home support for learning (Christenson, et al., 2003). In the
beginning this program was described as a drop-out prevention program, however
through the development and implementation of the program it has become more widely
referred to as a school completion program. This is a much more accurate description
because we are trying to increase a students’ connection to school as opposed to just
trying to keep them from dropping out.
When looking at improving a students’ connection to school we must first identify
the causes that have led to a disconnection. These causes can be wide ranging and very
deeply rooted. In some cases home life can be difficult and detrimental to a students’
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success in school, for others it might be a learning disability or a gap in the learning
process, there may be substance abuse problems or legal troubles that are preventing a
student from being successful in school. If we only focus on grades we may find a false
sense of security, it may appear that the student is progressing towards graduating but in
reality they may still be at risk because of a personal situation. This is why the
relationship component of check connect is so important. It allows the mentor the ability
to connect with the student and become informed about the struggles the student may
face. Mentors bring experience, perspective, objectivity and distance into the mentoring
relationship (McKimm, 2003). These contributing factors may provide essential skills the
student may lack.
Once the relationship has been developed a focus must be placed on monitoring
the students’ progress. Students must meet minimum requirements in order to complete
high school. This data collection guides the work of both the mentor and the mentee. The
data that is collected is office referrals, attendance, grades, credit accrual and issues with
being tardy. By tracking these areas we can identify and hopefully prevent obstacles from
developing that will cause difficulty in completing the student’s requirements for
graduation. Each student’s progress is summarized at monthly intervals, documented and
reviewed with the youth, as well as used to guide intervention. (Sinclair, 2003)
Intervention is the next key component of the program. Mentors work collaboratively
with their mentees to develop targeted interventions that will help them overcome any
obstacles that have been identified. School professionals have the opportunity to adopt a
proactive role and stimulate change that is preventive and strength-based by assisting in
the development of interventions at a school and district level that focus on supporting
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school completion rather than stemming the tide of dropouts. (Lehr, 2003). If we truly
want this program to work our interventions need to be individualized and directed at
helping each student graduate from high school. The final component is establishing a
home and school relationship. This is often the most challenging area for both mentor and
mentee. Students usually do not want teachers to communicate with their parents or
guardians. This can be because of a sense of embarrassment or as a final barrier to being
held accountable for their actions. Communicating with the home has always been a
difficult task for teachers regardless of the student. This becomes more difficult when we
are working with students who are at-risk. However, no matter what the situation a strong
line of communication between school and home is vital for the success of the students
and their ability to complete their schooling. In some cases this relationship is impossible
and in that case the role of the mentor becomes more important because they must act as
both mentor and surrogate parent.
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Research design. Because the participants were minors, permission was obtained
from school administrators to perform the study at the school. The design was a non-
experimental two-group comparison. The students participated in the same school based
mentoring program. The group’s data was collected prior to participation and following
participation. The data was then run through a t-test to determine significance at the .10
alpha levels. This study compared the student’s attendance, G.P.A. and credit accrual
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prior to participation in the mentoring program and following the participation in the
mentoring program.
Research questions and null hypotheses. - The following research questions were
constructed to study the effectiveness of the Check and Connect program at Maryville
High School.
RQ1: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on a
student’s attendance rate?
RQ2: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on a
student’s G.P.A.?
RQ3: What affect does participating in a school based mentoring program have on a
student’s credit accrual?
Null hypotheses. These questions lead to the following null hypothesis.
H01: There is no significant difference in attendance rate of students participating in
a school based mentoring program.
H02: There is no significant difference in students G.P.A. when involved in a
mentoring program.
H03: There is no significant difference in credits earned by students in a school based
mentoring program.
Study group. - Research was conducted at a public high school in Missouri. There
were thirty-six students involved in the study. All of the students were involved in the
mentoring program Check and Connect. The student’s data was divided into two groups.
The first grouping identified data collected prior to participation in the mentoring
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program. The second grouping identified data following participation in the mentoring
program.
Data collection and instrumentation utilized. The instrument used in this study was a
school based mentoring program entitled Check and Connect. The students participated
in a yearlong mentoring program focused on improving student’s attendance, G.P.A. and
credit accrual.
Data analysis strategies. The results were compiled in an excel spreadsheet. They
were then analyzed using the computer statistical manipulation software, A Statistical
Package, or ASP (Blackford). The dependent variables were the student’s attendance rate,
G.P.A. and credits earned. The independent variables were the two groups of students. A
t-test was used to analyze significance of the independent variables on their attendance,
G.P.A. and credits earned results. The alpha value chosen for significance was 0.10.
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF THE DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND
INTERPRETATIONS
Review of Research Design This report contains three narratives and three tables. The
results for the descriptive analysis is provided first; followed by the results of the t-
test broken down by days absent, G.P.A. and Credits earned.
Presentation of Data Analysis, Findings & Interpretations
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As shown in Table 1, a t-test was done to compare the amount of days absent prior to
a mentoring program to days absent following a mentoring program. (Days absent
1 year before, 14.2 days v. Days absent 1 year after, 8.9) a significant difference
was found, days absent was reduced by more than five days (Mean Difference =
5.28) after implementation. The null hypothesis was rejected (t=3.94, df= 70,
p=<0.0001) when Alpha was set at 0.10. The program has made a difference in
student absenteeism.
As shown in Table 2, a second t-test was done to compare G.P.A. prior to a mentoring
program and following implementation.(GPA 1 year before, 1.96 v. GPA 1 year
after, 2.21) a significant difference was found, GPA increased by 1/4 of a grade
point (Mean Difference = 0.247) after implementation. The null hypothesis was
rejected (t=1.45, df= 70, p=0.076). The program made a difference in student
academic performance.
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As shown in Table 3, a third t-test was done to compare the number of credits earned
prior to a mentoring program and following implementation. (Credits Earned
before, 5.92 credits v. GPA 1 year after, 6.49 credits) a significant difference was
found, the number of credits increased by 1/2 of a credit (Mean Difference =
0.569) after implementation. The null hypothesis was rejected (t=1.96, df= 70,
p=0.027). The program made a difference in student credits earned.
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Summary – the findings in these three t-tests resulted in the rejection of the null
hypothesis for research questions one, two and three. The first null hypothesis stated
there is no significant difference in attendance rate of students participating in a
school based mentoring program. This is not the case as shown above students
involved in a school based mentoring program have fewer absences when involved in
a mentoring program. The second null hypothesis stated there is no significant
difference in students G.P.A. when involved in a mentoring program. This was also
rejected, as students involved in a mentoring program saw a significant increase in
their G.P.A. The third null hypothesis stated there is no significant difference in
credits earned by students in a school based mentoring program. This was also
rejected because as shown above students participating in a mentoring program
earned more credits than prior to participation in a mentoring program.
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Discussion of Findings We have felt that the Check and Connect program has been
successful in increasing our students connection to school. The relationships that have
been built have flourished throughout the program. We have seen growth not only from
our students but also in our faculty and staff. This was an unexpected result. Through the
mentor/mentee relationship our teachers became more in tuned to the struggles that our
students faced on a daily basis and this was reflected in the ways they worked with all of
their students. The data we analyzed verified the results we have seen throughout this
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process. It will help reinforce the work our staff has been doing and motivate them to
continue to establish this program in our school. We are planning on including every
teacher in our building in the mentoring process next year. This research and the positive
experiences our current mentors have encountered will be vital to achieve buy in staff
wide.
Recommendations for further Study The mentoring program used by the district is Check
and Connect and has proven to be effective in increasing student’s attendance, G.P.A.
and credit accrual. The data has shown verifiable increases in all areas which will help
students graduate. Therefore, Maryville High School should continue to implementing
the current mentoring program while continuing to research similar programs used by
other schools. There may be a better practice currently being used by another school that
would better serve our students at Maryville High School.
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Software, Inc.
Blue, Debbie and Cook, Jennifer E .(2004.) High school dropouts: Can we reverse the
stagnation in school graduation? Issue Brief,1(2). Obtained from Google data base
February 10, 2011
Blum, D. J., & Jones, L.A. (1993). Academic growth group and mentoring program
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Coutts, D. (1998). How to better track effective school indicators: The control chart
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Dugger, J.M., & Dugger, C.W. (1998). An evaluation of a successful alternative high
school. High School Journal, 81, 218-228.
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(1995) Reducing suicide potential among high risk youth: Tests of a school-based
