Chapter 7 stamina: Persistence and Character in Youth Mentor Partnerships
In: Habits in MindSearch for other papers by Kevin S. Reimer in
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This essay considers persistence through (a) character development in adolescent humanitarians from urban America, and (b) science and math achievement through a pilot K-12 intervention emphasizing youth mentoring. Persistence is cultivated through goal-oriented reinforcement learning. Persistence evolves into habits of character and academic achievement through pride, a self-referencing locus for acquisition of expertise. The essay introduces a cross-age model linking persistence with character and academic achievement. The intervention is known as stamina or Science, Technology, And Math In Nurturing Associations. stamina provides weekly opportunity for high school student mentors and middle school student partners to solve hands-on problems in science and math, cultivating persistent character and academic habits in grit, self-control, and open-mindedness. The intervention presents a case example for evidence-based intervention and reinforcement learning with underserved students.