Coaching4Change – A Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Model to Support Academics & Social Emotional Learning

SO many students today are struggling in school from boredom, distraction, lack of effort, and poor attendance. It’s not just the pandemic. It started way before that. The pandemic has simply shined a spotlight on these challenges, particularly in urban schools. Many of our students don’t have access to mentors or role models. They don’t see their own potential, and often don’t even have a sense of belonging to their school communities. Not only are their academics suffering, but their social-emotional needs are unmet.

Coaching4Change (C4C) changes the trajectory for these students. Our program features a cross-age mentoring model where professional educators mentor college students who mentor 4th to 8th graders. Everyone benefits. The younger students feel seen, supported, and valued when they build much needed connections with people in their school. It’s often the first mentor they’ve had who looks like them and has a similar background. The older students are inspired by their mentees as well. They are taking on leadership roles and rising to the challenges presented, especially as they are work hard to navigate college life and are beginning to think about their career trajectories. Many children of color across all ages have not seen or interacted with any adults of color in their school buildings, including teachers, paraprofessionals, guidance counselors, nurses, and others. The pipeline of future educators and school staff is in need of new diverse candidates to change this common storyline.

C4C college students tutor in academic content as well as implement social emotional strategies like stress-reduction, staying on task, and dealing with adversity in the classroom. College students use project based enrichment as a tool to make learning relevant and build relationships with students, under the guidance and support of teachers and school staff. Their work involves:

• projects that are interesting and meaningful to students and community,
• small groups that build a connection to peers and college students to develop a sense of belonging within the school community,
• reinforcement of academic concepts to help students feel capable and build confidence,
• opportunities for students to make decisions and bring their own individuality into the projects and activities (“voice & choice”)

Both mentees and mentors are forming positive relationships and can begin rebuilding socialization skills that may have slid backwards during this elongated time apart. Our college students are working in classrooms as teaching assistants, hosting lunch buddy social skills groups, and facilitating cooperative learning groups. They attend local colleges and universities such as Bridgewater State University, Stonehill College, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and Bristol Community College. When C4C made the decision to use virtual mentoring during Covid19, we expanded our college mentor base to reach across the country. Our mentors hail from places as far away as University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Dartmouth College, Northwestern University, UConn, and North Carolina A&T. C4C has been able to innovate to meet the needs of our partnering schools by connecting students with mentors during school hours as well as after-school time and summer.

Some of our best college mentors struggled in school themselves, and now are able to skillfully help younger students navigate the same challenges. These shared experiences are vital when forming strong relationships with mentees, and allow for younger students to see themselves in the leaders who serve them.

C4C has seen transformative results. Over 83% of our mentees have improved their attendance and reduced their behavioral infractions by 88%. Our mentors have been improving their own skills as well. By using C4C to gain valuable leadership experience and coaching from professional educators, they learn to lead and

teach. Additionally, 64% of our college mentors are students of color and are expressing interest in exploring a career in education. Their opportunity to mentor and serve as leaders in an education setting has helped them achieve success in unexpected ways.

The added bonus is that mentoring is becoming an amazing tool to recruit diverse talent from local college campuses. More students of color are thinking about (and acting on) becoming teachers and educators themselves.

C4C is truly impactful by improving school climate and culture. Diverse, talented college students are working with principals, guidance counselors, teachers, and other school staff to make sure students can’t go unnoticed and slip through the cracks.

C4C is all about building relationships and community, but we are also all about results. When students are convinced that the school staff and structures are here to work FOR them, and that everyone is invested in their success, it allows them to engage differently, more wholeheartedly and with enthusiasm. By showing them that school is a place where they belong, and where there is a support network eager and waiting to serve them, we’re able to change their mindset and approach to learning and school engagement.

Our cross-age mentoring model is a powerful vehicle for positive change in education. We are changing lives by changing minds!

Marquis Taylor Bio

Instagram: marquistaylor.c4c
Website: https://www.marquistaylor.me

Marquis started C4C while in graduate school at the age of 27. He was an Echoing Green Fellow and a Pahara Institute NextGen Fellow. Marquis’ passion is inspiring people to seek opportunities for growth and upward mobility by setting goals, taking risks, and developing a network of social capital.. He works with young people to encourage them to fight negativity by taking action, evaluating, and thinking differently. Marquis grew up in a low-income community in South Central Los Angeles, where he witnessed violence, experienced failure and overcame many challenges, all of which led him to dedicate himself to motivating others to do the same.

He graduated from Stonehill College with a BS in Communication. He worked for four years in the world of real estate finance, where his experiences inspired him to return to school and obtain a MA in Teaching from Smith College. He has been featured in Boston.com, Harvard Business Review, People Magazine, Huffington Post, CBS, and CNN.

Organizational Description

Coaching4Change is building a diverse talent pipeline through mentoring. College students are recruited, hired, and trained to provide academic, social, and emotional support to K-12 students in school, after school, and during summer. Our College Mentors are trained and coached by professional educators to develop and apply new leadership skills. Over 60% of C4C Mentors identify as people of color.

Website: www.c4cinc.org

Instagram: @coaching4change

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coaching4Change

Twitter: @c4cboston