Young Leaders: Growing through Mentoring

Abstract

“Hey, you got it!” Caitlyn exclaimed as Leisha identified the letter B on a flash card. Caitlyn is a 2nd-grade student in a gifted and talented program. Leisha is a kindergarten student. Both girls are part of a cross-age mentoring experience that Caitlyn's teacher implemented with the help of a kindergarten teacher in the same school. Motivated by a graduate course in gifted education, Caitlyn's teacher decided to include a leadership skill component in the general education classroom for her gifted and talented students. She designed and initiated across-age mentoring program in which gifted students were paired with at-risk kindergarten students for weekly tutoring and mentoring meetings.