THE INFLUENCE OF ADULT MENTORS ON MY LIFE: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHY
Date
2019-05
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Abstract
There have been numerous discussions surrounding the issues African-American males face in schools today, many specifically addressing the “achievement gap” between Black and White students. Research indicates that mentoring programs can be invaluable in addressing the risks that youths face today. The study explored and utilized a reflexive investigation of the researcher’s life experiences as a mentee, and of his mentors’ motivation to support him throughout his teenager hood, his collegiate and Olympic years, and as an educator. This study is relevant because it explores the positive influence that adult mentors have on the attitudes, confidence, and school connectedness for African-American teen males. The attention to mentoring incorporated an understanding of the relationship between adult male mentors and at-risk African-American high school males.
This dissertation uses autoethnography as the methodology. The study centers on two theoretical frameworks to guide this inquiry: developmental and instrumental mentoring approaches. Memory, interviews, reflective journal, and an attitude survey serve as supporting data sources. The research questions guiding this dissertation are as follows:
1. What motivated my mentors to support me in my academic, athletic, and educational journeys?
2. How have relationships with my adult mentors influenced my attitude, confidence, and sense of worth during my youth, collegiate and Olympic years, and as an educator?
3. What have I learned about how to mentor African-American male youths from my relationships with adult mentors?