Abstract
This paper reviews peer mentoring in Kenya which enables new students to be provided orientation by more senior peers. Peer mentors serve as their mentees thus make the transition to secondary schools smooth. Peer mentoring is an educational model that builds on peer support and mentoring to assist young learners to enhance social relationships, develop cognitive skills, and promote positive identity development in schools and instill discipline which this paper explores. It adopted Albert Bandura’s reciprocal determinism model. The study used qualitative research design where focused group discussion (FGD), participant observation, interview guide and document analysis was used to collect data. The class teachers, senior teachers, Dean of students and students’ counselors including the school management were key informants. Ten FGD were interviewed. Research findings revealed that there was greater sense of self awareness and adjustment of the new students due to interaction and positive guidance by mentors. The new comers were able to be guided thus easy adjustment. Study revealed that few cases of indiscipline cases and attempted strikes were reported thus improved academic performance. Peer mentoring of new students with senior students have the transformative space to articulate their worldview and thinking. They can engage in peer feedback where they are positioned as leaders in the foreseeable future. The study findings are significant to educational managers in schools, Ministry of education and researchers on students’ welfare, discipline, modeling and support. Keywords: peer mentoring; discipline; adjustment; mentee; social relationship, role model DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-35-09 Publication date: December 31 st 2019
Highlights
Peer mentoring as an orientation programme is a form of mentorship that usually takes place between a person who has lived through a specific experience and a person who is new to that experience such as enrolment in the school
Discussion of the key findings Findings indicated that new students who had good mentors were more likely to remain in school until they sat for their summative Kenya certificates of secondary education (KCSE); were reportedly more successful in class work due to social adjustment at the onset
Implications and Conclusions Empirical evidence through thematic coding document analysis revealed by the peer mentees and mentors narratives including schools staff members; tasked with support together with other key informants highlighted the explicit and implicit benefits experienced by those involved, in addition to the school management at large
Summary
Peer mentoring as an orientation programme is a form of mentorship that usually takes place between a person who has lived through a specific experience (peer mentor) and a person who is new to that experience (the peer mentee) such as enrolment in the school. Most peer mentors are selected for their sensibility, confidence, social skills and reliability (Leidenfrost et al, 2011; Kieran & O’Neill, 2009). Peer mentoring programs are an important component in the strategy to enhance the new students’ adjustment in the new school. The operation of these programs ought to be informed by evidence as to their effectiveness (Jennifer & Dianne, 2014). Peer support, tutoring programs and peer counseling have a decades-long history in the United States, European countries and relatively new in developing countries and African context. Some peer-to-peer programs aim at enhancing academic performance; others focus on social and emotional functioning (Leidenfrost et al, 2011; Willis, et al (2012)
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