Cross-Age entoring in Math: Design , Implementation, and Outcomes

1. Cross-Age entoringin Math: Design, Implementation, and Outcomes Ali Korkmaz, Ph.D. AhmetUludag, Ph.D. NiluferKorkmaz, Ph.D. Accord Institute for Education Research

2. Purpose of the study • To understand the effects of cross-age mentoring on various student outcomes (academic, social, and behavioral) • To portray the design and implementation features of cross-age mentoring program in a high need urban setting

3. Theoretical Background • Role theory (Allen and Feldman,1976; Thomas and Biddle, 1966; Turner, 2002) • Mentor effects • Mentor feels and behaves differently when takes his/her role • More positive attitude towards school • More competence and control • Being role model • Mentee effects • Spillover effects (want to behave like their role models)

4. Cross-Age Mentoring Research • Benefits to whom • All students • Minority and white • ELLs, SPED, GTs • Mentors and mentees • What types of benefits • Academic • Behavioral • Social • What subjects more helpful • Math and Science

5. Cross-Age Mentoring Research • Design Implications • Short-term more effective than long-term • Train the mentors • Interpersonal skills, management, and content skills • Guide the mentors • Observe and feedback • Rewards (use and control) • Gender composition of mentor/mentee

6. Age of Social Media….

7. Why This Study? • Exponential growth in Mathematics in one urban school • Not a typical school to show such growth in such a short period of time • Design a study to explore and understand the cross-age mentoring program

8. Methods • Mixed Methods – Explanatory Sequential Design(Creswell, 2003) • Qualitative methods used to help explain quantitative findings

9. Data and Analyses • North West Evaluation Association (NWEA) MAP tests results (student level) • Target and growth comparisons with Norm data • Semi-structured interviews and focus group with • Principal, academic dean, and math teachers (interviews) • Mentor students (focus group) • Constant comparative method (Glaser, 1965)

10. NWEA MAP Tests A computer adaptive test tool • to measure student levels, placement and differentiate instruction to meet student needs • to guide curriculum and instructional decisions • to measure student growth over time • of accountability to see how well we have done our jobs; to measure the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction

11. Target Growth = 5 Spring Target RIT 215 Fall RIT 210 Spring Target RIT 202 Target Growth = 10 192 Fall RIT Target Growth for two 4th Grade Students

12. RIT scores – Growth - Targets • RIT: Rasch (Rash) Unit is a scale that shows student levels independent of grade level and age • RIT scores are used to show a student’s level normative to other students and their grade level through percentile ranks • Growth Targets: Typical growth is given for grade levels, yet each student has a separate growth target based on their initial score • Two things to look at (at the end of the year): • How many students have met their target • How many points have the students grown on average (compared to typical growth)

13. Characteristics of the RIT Scale : • It is an achievement scale. • It is an equal interval scale. • It helps to measure growth over time. • It has the same meaning regardless of grade or age of the student.

14. Proficiency vs. Growth

15. School Profile • Middle and high school in an urban area • Student body • 76% Free or reduced lunch • 58% Hispanic or Latino • 21% African American

16. Case-I: Fall MAP Results for Math

17. What Would You Do? • Based on NWEA MAP Fall Testing • More than 2/3 of the Middle School students below proficiency level • In terms of grade level equivalence, these below proficiency students are 1 or 2 grade level below their grade • What would you do if you were a: • Principal at this school • Academic Dean • Math Teacher

18. Case-II: Fall MAP Results for Math

19. What Would You Do? • Based on NWEA MAP Fall Testing at the same school • Some of your students are 1 or 2 grade level above their grade • What would you do if you were a: • Principal at this school • Academic Dean • Math Teacher

20. How Can We Engage ALL Students? • How can I challenge my high achieving students? • How can I move my students who are couple grade levels below to their grade level? • Is it possible to do this all in a regular classroom?

21. What happened at this school? • Brainstorming (teachers, administrators, parents) • Action items (Programs): • Tutoring (After school, Saturday) • Zero Cavity for Math • Khan Academy • Cross-age Mentoring (2nd semester) • Mentors in Training

22. ABCs of Cross-Age Mentoring Program… • Parent information and buy-in (meetings) • Benefits to ALL students • 14 weeks program • 2nd period for mentor-mentee meeting with teacher present at the class • 3 days Math, 2 days ELA per week • Mostly 3 mentees to 1 mentor ratio • Mentor selection • Proficient + Advanced • Leadership Skills

23. Mentor Training and Guidance • Train the mentors • Best way of learning is teaching • Teachers plan and guide content • Buckle Down program • Structured • Weekly meeting with mentors and discuss what works and what not • Mentor assessment portfolios of mentees • Observations, daily notes, test results, growth or not, etc.

24. Mentor Training and Guidance • Some mentors created their own materials based on mentee needs • Based on feedback: mentor and mentee shuffling • Motivation issue(mentors bringing candies, chocolates, and other goodies) • Adjustments for groups during action • Conjoin groups • 9th graders earned community service hours for after school and Saturday meetings, and sessions • Rewards and recognition for mentors

25. From Mentors’ View: • Interview with 8th grade mentors • Good review of previous content • Develop leadership skills • “We’re close to mentee’s level” • Easy to ask and learn more • Some behavior and discipline issues at the beginning but in later weeks no problem • Mentees remind of ourselves • “Taste of our own medicine”

26. From Mentors’ View: • Get to know more people at the school • Understand teachers better • Bond with students (like little brother or sister) • “Want to see them grow” • Mentees feel more confident • Mentees come to us besides designated time

27. From Mentors’ View: • Bond with school • Learn from other mentors • Parents are proud • Membership to National Honors Junior Society • Looking forward to having the same program next year as well

28. From Administrators and Teachers’ View: • Positive school culture • Less discipline problems • Character development for all students • Student bonding to each other • Care/support and respect among students • Student attachment to school

29. From Administrators and Teachers’ View: • Student growth for all students • Great instructional practices • Some of mentor practices (assessments) almost teacher like • Academic emphasis overall (Non mentors want to be part of this program: Mentors in Training)

30. What Happened Academically ?

31. Mentee Fall-Spring MAP Results for Math

32. Mentor Fall-Spring MAP Results for Math

33. Implications So what … • Academically • Behaviorally • Socially Implementation • Buy-in (teacher, student, and parent) • Training and weekly meetings • Student portfolios

34. Limitations • Bias • Selection • Teachers and admin could have reflected only on all positives • Teacher effect vs. program effect • ELA effect was mixed (maybe teacher effect) • No comparison group available

36. Contact • Ali Korkmaz, Ph.D. akorkmaz@accordeducation.org • AhmetUludag, Ph.D. auludag@accordeducation.org CERA - November 29, 2012