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Table 3 Emergent themes observed in post-secondary student/undergraduate mentor quotes

From: Replicating or franchising a STEM afterschool program model: core elements of programmatic integrity

Emergent theme

Undergraduate mentor quotes

Flexibility

“I think I enjoy changing the lessons and kind of just forming them to our needs.”

“I think allowing the mentors to have a lot of flexibility and freedom ensures that the program stays very relevant and customized to each classroom.”

“I think that kind of flexibility and reliance on the opinions of those who actually executed the lessons was a definite good, strong point.”

“I think flexibility is really critical, because some of the time the lessons aren’t as engaging for students…. So I think being flexible, while you’re in the classroom and while you’re practicing and working with your other mentors is really important.”

Student Engagement

“The students had a lot of fun being able to make their own candy blood vessels and being able to see it and play with it.”

“I would say the most important part [of NE STEM 4U] is trying to get as many kids involved and interested as possible in the activities and make sure they can understand and have fun with the experiments.”

“Having the enjoyable activity is a really important part so they get the interest of the science and then after having this enjoyable activity they should take something from it.”

“When [students] are interested in the experiment it is really neat.”

Classroom Management

“I feel that not having knowledge in behavior and classroom management techniques and how to teach would make it challenging to maintain an efficient learning environment.”

“…developing my skills, how to communicate and deal with kids, this is the big thing.”

“[In professional development training] we talked about managing not necessarily conflict but just like managing a classroom.”

“I think that [professional development opportunities] that we have where we are teaching things like classroom management and useful skills that are supper important… make people more effective in their mission.”

Communication

“I think the communication has worked well and that we are getting a lot of students involved.”

“I think open communication has worked really well. [Liaison between sites] has been really great about communicating with us and helping us throughout everything.”

“Developing my skills, how to communicate and deal with kids is a big thing.”

“Also with the staff that’s helping us [communication] is really critical. Just like build those relationships, it helps us understand and it helps them understand where we are coming from when we are trying to change things, or we are confused, or just stuck.”

Professional Development

“I’ve gained a lot of leadership skills where I am more comfortable leading a classroom of elementary and middle schoolers.”

“In general I’ve had the opportunity to work more on the organizational side of things and working as part of a team just things like public speaking, planning events, professionalism, making contacts in the community, there’s definitely a lot of that as well.”

“Just gaining that professionalism and being more comfortable talking in front of a group of people or just seeing what you need to do, playing it out, and executing it has been very beneficial.”

“I think accountability is really important, mainly peer to peer, or peer to officer.”

Networking

“I interacted with some of the other teams that are starting up programs.”

“I think it was beneficial prior to the start of the semester when we had all of the different groups and different mentors [together], everyone came and we kind of all met and talked about different strategies at different schools do things and that was helpful.”

“I think interacting with the other mentors definitely makes you aware of how many things… I’ve picked up along the way.”

“I would say connections, like the network of schools you are in and you know the teachers and other mentors that are there and there’s a lot of different afterschool programs that are working together so there’s a lot of connections and relationships that can be built there to help you in whatever you’re going to do later.”

Collaboration

“I do not have a lot of knowledge of the body and muscles so it was difficult to teach but it went well with [peer mentor]’s help

“It allows college students to collaborate with people from other majors and to achieve the goal of teaching kids in other sites.”

“One of my favorite lessons from last year was from one of the new sites, a lesson that they had developed and shared with us, so I think the opportunity to get more resources and more ideas to implement our lessons is definitely a bonus.”

“It’s nice to have a partner to fall back on too, if you don’t necessarily know the best way to handle it you have someone who can step in too, you’ve got two of you there to help situate it.”

Mentor Support

“Our superiors have been very helpful just bouncing ideas off of each other and keeping that open line of communication.”

“We’ve sent mentors in fully equipped with a lesson plan that is comprehensive.”

“I wish our location had their own personal training day that was specific to our needs.”

“We’ve set our mentors up with training and peer and faculty support.”

Pedagogy

“The lesson should be kept but the way of teaching it needs to be changed. Maybe they can make one as a whole group and working together to try and complete the tasks.”

“I would keep this lesson but I would reteach it so it is more of group work or make it more interactive.”

“For my major I’ve gained like building a lesson plan and changing that to help the students, I think that’s very valuable.”

“The prep out of the classroom requirements is significant but necessary in making that hour in the classroom actually count.”

  1. Example quotes from post-secondary/undergraduate mentors referencing all emergent themes from overall franchise sites and each individual franchise site