St. Mary’s Academy
MENTORS
Fall 2017
SMA Boys Mentoring N ewslet t er
LS Boy “Mentors are so cool. I want to be a mentor when I’m in Middle School.”
What Is the Boys Mentoring Program? The Boys Mentoring Program is designed to nurture mentoring relationships between Lower School and Middle School boys. This connection allows for a positive big brother / little brother relationship that is mutually beneficial. This project emerged from the needs of Lower School boys to have more male interaction during the day and for Middle School boys to have an opportunity to serve as leaders and role models.
MEET THE THIRD TRIMESTER MENTORS!
Ben
Reid
Campbell
Zach
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Jake
SMA MS Parent “I feel like this mentoring program has not only benefited my son and made him grow, but I truly think what he has learned will stay with him forever.”
Editor: Zac Hood zhood@smanet.org
MENTORS
C oac h H ood ’s C or n er Sizzlin’ Hot Tips
Book of the Month:
for Growing Boys Hot Tip #1 - Crazy Behavior May Be Good Breakthroughs often come right after unusually poor behavior. Dr. Anthony Rao explains, “Brain development is uneven... a behavioral setback often signals a cognitive breakthrough. Your son is driving you craziest when he’s about to figure something out. Quite often boys are the most disorganized in their thinking and behavior just
Raising Boys by Design: What the Bible and Brain Science Reveal About What Your Son Needs to Thrive by Gregory Jantz and Michael Durian
before a major advancement.” (The Way of Boys, p. 26) Hot Tip #2 - The Importance of Discipline. Boys are wanting to test their boundaries and see if authority figures can handle their behavior. Letting a boy do what they want without consequences does not establish this positive structure. Michael Thompson writes, “Good discipline contains a boy and his energy, providing the sense of physical and emotional security he needs in order to learn the larger lessons of self-control and moral behavior.” (Raising Cain, p. 70)
Packed with doable strategies and eye-opening examples of what’s really going on inside a boy’s brain, Raising Boys by Design offers a practical blueprint to help you build a HERO—one who values Honor, Enterprise, Responsibility, and Originality. This unique resource combines the latest research in brain science with timeless truths from the Bible to reveal the deepest needs shared by every boy of faith while also leading you to fresh insights for honoring the unique personality, talents, and God-given design of your son in particular.
Christmas Gift Ideas
Movie: The Sandlot
Dangerous Book for Boys by Hal and Conn Iggulden. An awesome book filled with activities, how-to guides and stories. 2
Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones: A winsomely written story Bible with great illustrations.
MENTORS
Wh at ’s B ein g Sai d
In the LS Hallway… 1st Grader: Coach Hood, when are you guys coming to our classroom? I need to know for my schedule. Coach Hood: We are coming over on Thursday. 1st Grader: Okay great. But also, can you do some secret times? You know, when you don’t tell us but you come over and surprise us?
Mentor Memories from Working with LS Boys •
Oliver loves having mentors around. He can be motivated easily by the mentors.
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Ayaan loves spending time on the playground.
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Max slowly became a better listener. After games it would take forever for him to come in, but he has gotten better.
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I thought Leo was good at the dog shelter and he listened well.
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After Conrad went to the animal shelter he didn’t hate dogs so much.
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Hudson has grown as a learner in almost every way there is.
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Jace became a lot less shy when he was participating in class.
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I thought that Bob got much better socially. 3
MENTORS
S u mm ar y of Ac t i vi t i es
F * Visit to Children’s Hospital of Colorado
OUR SQUARE!
* Visit with mentees to Humane Society of the South Platte Valley * Second Step lessons with first graders * Working on weekly goals for behavior * Teaching boys how to swing on the swing set * Playing soccer and football with second graders * Helping with math assignments * Playing at recess with third and fourth graders * Making raspberry walnut cookies for first graders * 1-on-1 time with Kindergarten boys * 1-on-1 games and tutoring time
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MENTORS
Me nt o r Ref l ect io n s
What have you learned about yourself during this trimester of mentoring? I’ve learned that I sometimes need to be less passive and more assertive in my leadership. I’ve learned how I act in certain situations. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s hard for me to try and be assertive with the younger boys because it feels like I’m being too harsh even when I’m not being harsh at all. For example, sometimes it was hard to tell them when to calm down when they weren’t focusing in class but it was something I needed to do so they wouldn’t disrupt the other students’ focus. They need a firm but gentle hand to guide them. - Reid, Eighth grade mentor What do you love about mentoring? I love when I walk into a classroom and see all the kids’ faces light up when they see me. I also love when the kids get a question right and they celebrate. I have learned that the kids won’t always listen to me so I have to adjust to each kid and each grade. I have also learned that you have to encourage the kids to do their work sometimes. - Campbell, Eighth grade mentor I like to help kids and other people at places like the dog shelter and hospital. Helping the Lower School students at recess and in class is nice to keep them under control and playing fairly. In the classroom, we help to keep them focused and learning. - Zach, Seventh grade mentor What have you learned about your mentees and boys during this trimester of mentoring? I have learned that you will feel a lot of emotion for the kids because their problems will in a way become yours. I also was surprised that a first grader would listen to me. They became sort of like a younger brother. - Ben, Seventh grade mentor
I think it’s important for the boys to learn how to act, and also for them to have an older boy to look up to. I remember when I was a younger kid and an older boy that would play with me was so cool. - Jake, Seventh grade mentor
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ANIMAL SHELTER
MATH TUTORING
FOUR SQUARE
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