FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE YEARS
AUGUST
Discussion Topic: Get to Know Each Other: Find Similarities and Celebrate Differences
Begin building relationships by sharing backgrounds, experiences, interests, and aspirations. Demonstrate a sincere interest in each other by exploring similarities and differences.
Discussion Topic: Get to Know Each Other: Find Similarities and Celebrate Differences
Begin building relationships by sharing backgrounds, experiences, interests, and aspirations. Demonstrate a sincere interest in each other by exploring similarities and differences.
SEPTEMBER
Discussion Topic: Establish a Foundation for a Successful Mentoring Relationship and Set Goals for the Year
Establish expectations for your relationships and make commitments to each other (for example, how mentors and mentees will communicate, how often the mentor plans to do in-person visits, how often the mentor expects to hear from the mentee, how quickly the mentee will respond to mentor, what each of you hope to gain from the experience). Help mentees set goals for the school year and reflect on their academic strengths and weaknesses. Mentees might set one specific goal around the academic area in which they want to improve. Reflect on the idea of “change” and discuss a personal and/or academic change they want to make this year.
Discussion Topic: Establish a Foundation for a Successful Mentoring Relationship and Set Goals for the Year
Establish expectations for your relationships and make commitments to each other (for example, how mentors and mentees will communicate, how often the mentor plans to do in-person visits, how often the mentor expects to hear from the mentee, how quickly the mentee will respond to mentor, what each of you hope to gain from the experience). Help mentees set goals for the school year and reflect on their academic strengths and weaknesses. Mentees might set one specific goal around the academic area in which they want to improve. Reflect on the idea of “change” and discuss a personal and/or academic change they want to make this year.
OCTOBER
Discussion Topic: Cultivate Optimism and Excitement About the Future
Discuss optimism and how adopting a positive outlook can help mentees achieve their vision of success. Discuss and identify activities mentees are passionate about and make connections between future aspirations and what they are currently doing in school. Support mentees as they look for and enroll in extracurricular activities and summer experiences that connect to their passions. Help build excitement about the future goals mentees have set for themselves, connecting back to the idea that what mentees do now as a high school student will contribute to achieving these goals.
Action Items/Reminders:
Discussion Topic: Cultivate Optimism and Excitement About the Future
Discuss optimism and how adopting a positive outlook can help mentees achieve their vision of success. Discuss and identify activities mentees are passionate about and make connections between future aspirations and what they are currently doing in school. Support mentees as they look for and enroll in extracurricular activities and summer experiences that connect to their passions. Help build excitement about the future goals mentees have set for themselves, connecting back to the idea that what mentees do now as a high school student will contribute to achieving these goals.
Action Items/Reminders:
- All freshman and sophomores take the Practice SAT (PSAT) in October. Encourage them to take the test seriously.
- Check the DAHS Calendar, KHS Calendar, or RHS Calendar, to see when college reps will be on the campus. Encourage them to signup to attend.
NOVEMBER
Discussion Topic: Establish: “I am College-Bound. What I Do This Year Matters”
Continue to establish a college-going expectation for mentees. Help mentees understand that their actions and choices in their freshman and sophomore years directly connect to their college choices later in high school. Help mentees understand the value of college and the value of doing well in high school. Talk with mentees about doing well in school and how they can improve their grades, study habits, organizational skills.
Discussion Topic: Establish: “I am College-Bound. What I Do This Year Matters”
Continue to establish a college-going expectation for mentees. Help mentees understand that their actions and choices in their freshman and sophomore years directly connect to their college choices later in high school. Help mentees understand the value of college and the value of doing well in high school. Talk with mentees about doing well in school and how they can improve their grades, study habits, organizational skills.
DECEMBER
Discussion Topic: Understand the Importance of Resiliency and Self-Advocacy
Discuss the concepts of resiliency and perseverance and how both of these skills relate to academic and personal success. Both mentors and mentees can reflect on personal failures and mistakes and what caused them. Talk about how personal mistakes can impact other people, as well as lessons learned from past mistakes. Discuss the idea of self-advocacy and the importance of asking for help and accessing resources. Brainstorm strategies for asking for help and getting individual needs met.
Action Items/Reminders:
Discussion Topic: Understand the Importance of Resiliency and Self-Advocacy
Discuss the concepts of resiliency and perseverance and how both of these skills relate to academic and personal success. Both mentors and mentees can reflect on personal failures and mistakes and what caused them. Talk about how personal mistakes can impact other people, as well as lessons learned from past mistakes. Discuss the idea of self-advocacy and the importance of asking for help and accessing resources. Brainstorm strategies for asking for help and getting individual needs met.
Action Items/Reminders:
- Students should receive their PSAT results towards the end of December. Encourage them to use the "My College Quickstart" program associated with their PSAT report for a personalized plan for college and test preparation. They will need an Online Access Code from their score report. For more information, click here.
- Remind them about the end of the semester coming. Any projects due or missing assignments? How will they prepare for finals?
- Encourage them to start looking for meaningful summer experiences. The application deadline for many programs is in February/March. If they are not going to participate in a program, encourage them to do community service or to work during the summer.
JANUARY
Discussion Topic: Mid-Year Reflection: Self-Assessment
Reflect on the first half of the year by assessing the progress made on the goals mentees set. Celebrate achievements and identify challenges that have come up since the start of the school year. Encourage mentees to practice self-advocacy skills by taking advantage of resources available to them to help them meet their challenges.
Action Items/Reminders:
Discussion Topic: Mid-Year Reflection: Self-Assessment
Reflect on the first half of the year by assessing the progress made on the goals mentees set. Celebrate achievements and identify challenges that have come up since the start of the school year. Encourage mentees to practice self-advocacy skills by taking advantage of resources available to them to help them meet their challenges.
Action Items/Reminders:
- Review their first semester grades with them. If they get any Ds or Fs, they may need to repeat the classes during summer school. Discuss strategies for improving their grades next semester.
FEBRUARY
Discussion Topic: Identify Potential Careers
Explore specific careers that connect to mentees’ motivations, passions, and skills, and help them understand that motivation is a key factor in deciding what career they’ll choose in the future. As appropriate, you may want to make them aware of additional careers they should consider even if they might seem to be a bit of a stretch. Reflect on what motivates them to succeed. Explore what skills are needed for the careers mentees are interested in. Help mentees understand the kind of education necessary for the careers they are interested in.
Action Items/Reminders:
Discussion Topic: Identify Potential Careers
Explore specific careers that connect to mentees’ motivations, passions, and skills, and help them understand that motivation is a key factor in deciding what career they’ll choose in the future. As appropriate, you may want to make them aware of additional careers they should consider even if they might seem to be a bit of a stretch. Reflect on what motivates them to succeed. Explore what skills are needed for the careers mentees are interested in. Help mentees understand the kind of education necessary for the careers they are interested in.
Action Items/Reminders:
- They will be signing up for their next year's courses in this time frame. Encourage them to take rigorous courses and to make sure they are completing the courses required for college eligibility. To be as competitive as possible as a college applicant, they should NOT have free periods or TA in their schedule.
- Check up with them about signing up for summer experiences or, if needed, summer school.
MARCH
Discussion Topic: Understand the Concept of a Growth Mindset
Talk about a "fixed mindset", the idea that basic characteristics such as intelligence and talent are simply fixed traits, versus a "growth mindset", the belief that basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Discuss the connection between the amount of work they put in and the level of success they attain. Help mentees feel empowered to work hard, understanding that motivation, dedication and hard work will positively affect how well they do at any given task or project. A growth mindset will lead to greater student engagement in school and increase their resilience in the face of setbacks.
Discussion Topic: Understand the Concept of a Growth Mindset
Talk about a "fixed mindset", the idea that basic characteristics such as intelligence and talent are simply fixed traits, versus a "growth mindset", the belief that basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Discuss the connection between the amount of work they put in and the level of success they attain. Help mentees feel empowered to work hard, understanding that motivation, dedication and hard work will positively affect how well they do at any given task or project. A growth mindset will lead to greater student engagement in school and increase their resilience in the face of setbacks.
APRIL
Discussion Topic: Build Excitement for College
Continue to establish college-going expectations for mentees and explore how mentors can support mentees in meeting these expectations. Preview the College Checklist for Junior Year and help mentees understand what the college application process entails. Help mentees educate themselves about the different types of universities and the requirements of the California Public Schools. Help them set small, tangible goals to start the college process, learning more about it before 11th grade starts, even creating a college appropriate email address.
Discussion Topic: Build Excitement for College
Continue to establish college-going expectations for mentees and explore how mentors can support mentees in meeting these expectations. Preview the College Checklist for Junior Year and help mentees understand what the college application process entails. Help mentees educate themselves about the different types of universities and the requirements of the California Public Schools. Help them set small, tangible goals to start the college process, learning more about it before 11th grade starts, even creating a college appropriate email address.
- Encourage your students to attend local college fairs. There are excellent college fairs at St. Mary's and CSU East Bay in April/May you might want to take your students to. See the WACAC Website for information and dates.
- Talk to them about their summer plans.
- Spring break may be an opportunity to visit colleges.
MAY
Discussion Topic: Assess High School Growth and Identify Leadership Opportunities
Continue to establish college-going expectations for mentees. Help mentees recognize their positions as leaders and role models in their families and communities and how they that can help instill the belief in others that college is possible for all young people. Discuss leadership and identify individuals they consider role models in their lives and communities. Help them connect the qualities and behaviors in the people they admire to their own leadership development. Mentors can empower mentees by recognizing their leadership skills and potential and by connecting leadership to the other aspects of their identities, especially concerning their ability to believe in their potential, practice resilience, persevere, and seek out help when needed.
Action Items/Reminders:
Discussion Topic: Assess High School Growth and Identify Leadership Opportunities
Continue to establish college-going expectations for mentees. Help mentees recognize their positions as leaders and role models in their families and communities and how they that can help instill the belief in others that college is possible for all young people. Discuss leadership and identify individuals they consider role models in their lives and communities. Help them connect the qualities and behaviors in the people they admire to their own leadership development. Mentors can empower mentees by recognizing their leadership skills and potential and by connecting leadership to the other aspects of their identities, especially concerning their ability to believe in their potential, practice resilience, persevere, and seek out help when needed.
Action Items/Reminders:
- Remind them about the end of the semester coming. Any projects due or missing assignments? How will they prepare for finals?
JUNE
Discussion Topic: Reflect on the Year, Preview Upcoming Year
Reflect on and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. Discuss summer plans and goals. Preview what the next year will be like and how you will continue to work together.
Discussion Topic: Reflect on the Year, Preview Upcoming Year
Reflect on and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. Discuss summer plans and goals. Preview what the next year will be like and how you will continue to work together.
SUMMER
- Encourage them to create/update their Academic Resume.
- Consider taking them on college visits during the summer while they have more free time.
- Encourage them to read during the summer, perhaps help them find reading material they might like -- books, magazines, etc. The makers of the SAT test state that reading is the single most important activity students can do to prepare for college tests.
- If they travel over the summer, encourage them to visit colleges if possible.