Let Each One Teach One
Brief Program Description
Let Each One Teach One is centered upon literature findings that mentor relations positive influence and facilitate academic success. It is based, in part, on the rationale that culturally competent mentoring support and advocacy to youth stemmed from a resiliency model utilizing a nurturing relationship. This program uses the relationship between and elementary/middle school student and an older, more experienced, student role model to provide a sense of belonging, life-skills, enrichment, self-image, support, and role modeling. The project uses student role models for modeling influences to contribute to an empowerment cycle that has been shown as establishing a climate of trust, reframing selfhood, imparting affiliation through appropriate connectedness, problem solving, self-regulation, and study skills.
The intervention approach consists of one-on-one mentoring, self-regulation skills building for promoting self-efficacy, and academic tutoring for minimizing individual and school risk factors. The program serves to enhance the protective factors of academic performance, attachment and commitment to school, consistent enforcement of rules regarding behavior, and attachment to pro-social role models.
Program Strategies
The "will and skill" (Group 1) sessions used the mentor relationship for addressing personal, school, and problem related areas. This mentor role model function provided support challenge and vision for increasing academic achievement along with the establishment of a "skill" domain to help students acquire strategies for self-awareness, self-evaluation, and self-monitoring. Those in the "will" (Group 2) condition did not establish a "skill domain."
Mentors helped participants set personal and academic goals. The participants' study skills were also assessed and mentors provided methods for helping them to learn and remember what was discussed in class, planning and writing papers, methods for math assignments, preparing for a test, completing homework, and improving study at home. Mentors role modeled how they accomplished the above and explored with the mentees a plan for doing the same. Visualization procedures were used to help students envision themselves as more successful.
Population Focus
Students were assigned an at-risk rating using grades, conduct ratings, attendance records, disciplinary actions, and teacher ratings. Participants were middle school students with high at risk ratings.
Suitable Settings
This intervention is suitable for implementation in a school setting.
Required Resources
A mentoring training handbook has been developed and is currently being piloted.
Implementation Timeline
The treatment consisted of a weekly session in which the mentor met with the student for 50 minutes.
Outcomes
Evaluation of this program revealed the following:
- At the end of the sixth quarter, treatment Group 1 ("will and skill") was significantly higher, than the control group, on the variable of grade point average.
- Treatment Group 1 ("will and skill") was significantly higher, than the control group, on mean teacher conduct ratings at the end of the second semester.
Contact Information
For indepth information on this program, please use the contact listed below.
Program Developer
Vicki Tomlin, Ph.D.Psychologist, Consultant
Excellence Plus
P.O. Box 371803
Denver, CO 80237
Phone: (303) 796-0414
Fax: (303) 796-8071
Email: vtomlin@ansllc.net
In July 2002, this program was designated as a Promising Program under SAMHSA's previous National Registry of Effective Prevention Programs system.

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