The Effect of Mentoring Styles in School-based Mentoring Programs on Students’ Social Development in Public Secondary Schools, Nairobi County

Abstract

The primary purpose of this research was to assess the effect of mentoring styles in school-based mentoring programs on students’ social development in public secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study adopted a quantitative method and utilized a cross-sectional correlational design. The population for this study was N=44, 686. The sample of this study was calculated using Yaro Yamane formulae, which gave n=396. Data was collected using adopted and adapted tools; The Munich-Evaluation-of-Mentoring-Questionnaire (MEMeQ), MinT Tool, Johns Hopkins Learning Environment scale (JHLES), Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS), and Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The correlation results indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between mentoring styles and students’ social development aspects: students’ building relationships, identity development, self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Based on the findings, the study recommended that secondary schools should strengthen the mentoring styles aspects. These are active listening, advising, prescribing and cooperation. For the continuity and excellence in the school-based mentoring programs the teachers must reflect, interrogate and evaluate themselves against the best practices of school-based mentoring. The government can work at enhancing mentoring styles in all schools by offering initial training and refresher courses for school mentors so as to ensure that standards of the school mentoring programs are enhanced significantly. Parents need to be involved in and understand the school-based mentoring programs by first: attending awareness workshops and trainings on teenage parenting and secondly, attend joint parents-students’ mentoring sessions