How+Mentors+Influence+Students

= = =**__Overview __**= “On average students between the ages of five and 18 will spend only 10 percent of their time in the classroom…” (Top Ten Issues, 2015). So, what activities do student engage in outside of school, and how does engagement in these activities affect classroom time? This is a relatively small amount of time that students spend with their teachers in the classroom. Society holds teachers responsible for a large portion of student performance whether it be academically, professionally, or socially related. There are several other individuals that have an impact on these aspects of students’ lives. With the relatively small amount of time students spend with teachers in the classroom it is essential for students to engage with other individuals within the other approximately 90 percent of their time in order to incorporate various positive influences other than that of teachers. To put it simply, “it takes a village,” and the village is composed of various members of society other than teachers.

 “Research has shown that what happens outside the classroom directly impacts what is possible to accomplish inside the classroom” ( Top Ten Issues, 2015) . This further supports the need for students to have positive influences outside of the 10 percent of their time they spend in the classroom. A 2014 survey of children in Georgia revealed that 39 percent of children in grades 9-12 were unsupervised after school (Top Ten Issues, 2015). It is likely that several of these unsupervised children are part of a low socioeconomic community. The lack of structure and supervision that these 39 percent of students experience on a daily basis may be a contributing factor to the less than desirable behavior expressed by some students in the classroom and unpreparedness of students reported by workplace and post-secondary education professionals (Top Ten Issues, 2015). Providing students, especially those that are unsupervised after school hours, with a form of mentorship may result in a positive difference in the behavior of students within and outside of the classroom, and encourage pursuit of high achievement in post-secondary education endeavors.

 “Mentoring has been demonstrated to improve academic attitudes and self-concept, to reduce the likelihood of substance abuse and other antisocial behaviors, to improve relationships with parents and teachers, and to support career education and development” (Jucovy and Garringer, 2007). As a teacher, it is important to build a relationship with students in order to teach not only content, but lessons that can be applied throughout their lives. That relationships within the classroom between the teacher and students may not be enough of an influence or support system for some students. Students need additional support outside of the classroom, and some need unique individuals that they can better relate to, such as a mentor.

=__**Trend & Issue **__= "Perhaps the most profound change in the American family over the past four decades has been the decline in the share of children growing up in households with biological parents," states Amato (Amato, 2005). The image that comes to mind when discussing a household has changed over time. Traditionally a household was, more or less, composed of a father, mother, and children. The role of the father was to provide support, mostly financially, for the family. While the mother’s role was to maintain the house and provide care for the children. Today’s households are composed of a variety of members all with various roles. According to The Evolution of the U.S. Household, during the 1950s the workforce was composed of 28 percent women, and 59 percent in the 2000s (Evolution of the U.S. Household). Based on this data as well as observations from daily life, it is apparent that household dynamics have changed over the course of time. The structure of a household affects students' academic performance as well as behaviors outside of the classroom (Academic Success Begins at Home). Variations in household structure occur at any socioeconomic level, but it is especially important to consider the households of low socioeconomic classes. Students living in such environments face several challenges, often struggle in the area of academics, and lack positive guidance and mentorship outside of the classroom (How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance). This trend in household dynamics has contributed to the current issue emerging from the limited or lack of guidance students receive, as supported by Academic Success Begins at Home which states that students living in single-parent or blended households for an extended period of their childhood experience a negative results in post-secondary education pursuits (Academic Success Begins at Home). The indications of this issue include, but are not limited to, lack of motivation and expression of respect in the classroom as well as under preparedness for future endeavors in the workplace and post-secondary education.

“Youth need caring and consistent relationships with adults in order to navigate their way through adolescence and beyond” (Jucovy and Garringer, 2007). Mentorship provides students with support and the opportunity to build a meaningful, professional relationship with an individual to which they can relate. A student having a trusting relationship with some they can relate to and look up to will positively influence their performance in academics and otherwise. Mentors can provide positive influence, support, and encouragement in settings outside of the classroom that students, especially those living in low socioeconomic households, may not receive otherwise (How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance).

=**__Bibliography __**= 1. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Top Ten Issues to Watch in 2016. (12th ed.). (2015). Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. - This article provides and discusses 10 issues that are observed in today's education system. The main issues that I have referred to on this wiki page include after school hours and workplace/post-secondary education readiness.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jucovy, L., & Garringer, M. (2007). The ABCs of School-Based Mentoring. Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/abcs.pdf - This book provides information regarding the benefits of mentorship and provides guidelines for implementing mentorship programs using the school-based mentorship program model.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Amato, P, "The Impact of Family Formation Change on the Cognitive, Social and Emotional Well-Being of the Next Generation," The Future of Children, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Fall 2005), p. 76.) - This source discusses the changes that have occurred in the structure of family homes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4.The Evolution of the U.S. Household (1950s to Today). (n.d.). Retrieved June 03, 2016, from http://visual.ly/evolution-us-household-1950s-today. - This article describes the traditional household along the time of the 1950s to the 2000s, mostly providing information about participation in the workforce.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Academic Success Begins at Home: How Children Can Succeed in School. (n.d.). Retrieved June 03, 2016, from http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/09/academic-success-begins-at-home-how-children-can-succeed-in-school - This reference discusses the impact that family and home life has on students and their education. This source gives statistical evidence supporting this argument.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Chapter 2. How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved June 03, 2016, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects-Behavior-and-Academic-Performance.aspx - This source explains the challenges that individuals in low socioeconomic homes and communities face. This source discusses academic effects as well as others.