Department of Exercise and Sport Science

COURSE NUMBER: ESS 519

COURSE TITLE: Mentoring in Community Youth Development Programs

CREDITS: 2

PREREQUISITES: None

FOR WHOM PLANNED: Students interested in mentoring underserved youth in community settings. Students take this course as part of the Community Youth Sport Development concentration within the Exercise and Sport Science Pedagogy major or as an elective.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION: Tom Martinek

HHP 264
334-3034
martinek@uncg.edu

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION: Service learning experience mentoring an elementary or middle school youth in a community sport program. On campus seminars required.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Each student is expected to gain:

a. practical experience in mentoring a youth in a community youth sport program (YMCA, YWCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Municipal Recreation Departments, before and/or after school programs).

b. an understanding of competencies and strategies related to effective mentoring.

c. greater awareness of cross-cultural differences among youths who participate in community youth sport programs.

d. knowledge about how youth respond to mentoring and goal setting.

e. techniques for keeping track of mentoring sessions.

f. insights on how to start a mentoring program.

Graduate students are expected to gain (in addition to the above outcomes):

g. skills in synthesizing mentoring theories with practical experiences through reflective writing.

TEACHING STRATEGIES: lecture, group discussion, on-site mentoring, and journal writing instruction.

EVALUATION: Evaluation for undergraduate students will be based on the following:

· mentor journal submission. Ten submissions are required. All elements of the "Journal Sheet Form" must be completed to receive full credit (See attachment).

· attending each seminar.

· weekly field site visits.

· completion of self-evaluation.

Evaluation for graduate students in the class will be based on:

· mentor journal submission. Ten submissions are expected.

· attending each seminar.

· weekly field site visits.

· completion of self-evaluation

· an in depth, integrative, and analytical summary paper. Current research references and APA style guide will be required in the summary paper.

GRADING CRITERIA:

Journal (5 pts each submission) 50 points
Seminar attendance (5 pts each) 20 points
Field site visit documentation 20 points
Self-evaluation 10 points Total 100 pts
Graduate students: Summary paper 20 points Total 120 pts

GRADING SCALE:

Undergraduate A = 90 - 100 points
C = 65 - 89 points
F = below 65 points

Graduate A = 110 - 120 points
C = 80 - 109 points
F = below 80 points

READINGS:

Eitzen, D.S.: (1992). Problem Students: The Sociocultural Roots. Phi Delta Kappan, 75: 584-590.

Golden, R. (1997). Disposable children--America's welfare system. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Grossman, J.B., & Garry, E.M. (1977, April). Mentoring-A proven delinquency prevention strategy. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, pp. 1-6. Washington, DC: U.S. Department Press.

Hebert, T.P.; & Reis, S.M. (1999). Culturally Diverse High Achieving Students in urban High School. Urban Education, 34(4):428-457.

Hellison, D., Cutforth, N., Kallusky, J., Martinek, T., Parker, M., Stiehl, J. (2000). Youth development and physical activity: Linking uiversities and communities.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Kaplan, E.B. (1999). "It's Going Good": Inner city Black and Latino Adolescents' perceptions about achieving in education. Urban Education, 34(2): 181-213.

Lawson, H. (1997). Children in crisis, the helping professions, and the social responsibilities of universities. Quest, 49(1), 8-33.

Lynch, E. (1992). Developing Cross-cultural Competence. In E.W. Lynch & M. J. Hanson (Eds.), Developing Cross-cultural Competence (pp. 35-60). Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks.

Martinek, T. & Parker, M. (2000). Mentoring Programs. In Hellison, D. & Cutforth, et al. Youth development and physical activity: Linking universities and communities. (pp. 155-178). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Martinek, T., & Hellison, D. (1998). Values and goal setting with underserved youth. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. 69(7), 47-51.

Martinek, T. & Hellison, D. (1997). Fostering resiliency in underserved youth through physical activity. Quest, 49(1), 34-49.

Moore, K.P. & Sandholtz, J.H. (1999). Designing Successful Service learning projects for urban schools. Urban Education, 34(4):480-498.

Wasik, B.A. (1997). Volunteer tutoring programs: Do we know what works?. Phi Delta Kappan, 51, 282-287

Willis, W. (1992). Families with African American Roots. In E.W. Lynch & M. J. Hanson (Eds.), Developing cross-cultural competence (pp. 121-146). Baltimore: Paul H. Brooks.

Testerman, J. (1996). Holding at-risk students: The secret is one-on-one. Phi Delta Kappan, 51, 364-365.

COURSE OUTLINE: Two phases make up this course. The first is class meetings that will be held the first Saturday of each month. The class runs from 8:00 to 12:00. The second phase requires the student to mentor of a youth in a school or community (i.e., Boys & Girls Club), recreation center, church, YMCA, or YWCA). The student is required to spend three hours per week with the youth.

Course content:

a. Orientation meeting (first seminar)
· Course requirements
· Roles of mentor
· Evaluation procedures

b. Mentoring (Introduce concepts second seminar, discuss in context of site visits in third and fourth seminars)
· Characteristics of a good mentor
· Youths responses to mentoring
· Goal setting
· Keeping track
· Getting started

c. Working with Underserved Youths (third seminar)
· Vulnerability and resiliency of youth
· Multi-cultural competence
· Social and Personal Responsibility Model
· Health issues

ACADEMIC HONOR CODE: Each student is required to sign the Academic Integrity Policy

ATTENDANCE POLICY: All students are expected to attend class meetings and provide written excuse for any absences. Unexcused absences will negatively affect the final grade (see Grading Criteria section). Students are also required to make weekly visits to site of mentee.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Journal entries and focus group interview participation is required.