Teachable Moments: What can we learn from peer mentors and teacher workshops?

Abstract

The Teachable Moments Peer Mentor Program First Year Experience (FYE) Project enhanced first year experiences for education majors at an institution of higher education. The researcher investigated the impact professional development, online resources, and mentor training had on the first year students or pre-service teachers or students studying education. The project consisted of monthly professional development workshops and a Peer Mentor Program that was embedded into a first year experience (FYE) education course. Results of this study, in efforts to better tailor programming to maximize effectiveness and retention of first year students, will be shared. In particular, an emphasis is placed on the Peer Mentor Program, and the training the mentors underwent in order to serve in the role of mentor, so other colleges, universities, or institutions of higher education can replicate the mentoring model and professional development programming on their own campuses as they seek to meet the needs of their first year students to foster connections and supports for mentors and mentees alike.