They Have Always Been There: Education Support Professionals as Informal Mentors to Adolescent Students

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Nine
  In Roundtable Session: Talking Teachers: Analyzing Motivations and Crises (Table 5)

Abstract

A growing area of interest in education policy has been focused on improving students’ experiences within schools and creating a feeling of connectedness to their schools. Studies show that students’ feelings of connectedness improve when they feel that school staff care about their educational success, individual qualities, and overall well-being. Education Support Professionals (ESP) (e.g., paraeducators, food service workers, bus drivers, school secretaries, etc.) have been reported as taking an active role caring for and supporting students in their schools, yet little is known about these informal mentoring relationships. The aim of this study was to fill gaps in the literature by answering the following research question: How do ESP describe their experiences informally mentoring middle and high school students?

Author

• Darren Fleischer, D.C. State Board of Education
  Presenting Author