Volunteer Resources
Resource Links
BPIE Mentoring Handbooks
Our comprehensive guide to becoming a mentor through all of our core programs. Each handbook includes information about your role as a mentor, tips for working with students, academic resources, and practice scenarios.
- Accelerate Program Handbook – Resources and tips on becoming an Accelerate mentor to students in grades K-8.
- Aim High Program Handbook – Resources and tips on becoming an Aim High mentor to students in grades 9-12.
- Independent Learning Support Program Handbook – Resources and tips on becoming a remote mentor to students through our online ILS program.
- Motivate Program Handbook – Resources and tips on becoming a Motivate mentor and supporting a whole class of students.
- ILS Troubleshooting Guide – Please check this document for help with technical issues.
- Whistleblower Policy – Please review this document to learn about our whistleblower policy.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources
- Mentor/Mentee Activity Guide – A compilation of virtual activities for mentor/mentee matches, suggested by AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring.
- Understood – Social Emotional Learning: What to know.
- Edutopia – Supporting identities and experiences: Creating an identity-safe classroom.
- MENTOR – Trauma informed mentoring: Supporting youth in the wake of trauma.
- Becoming a Better Mentor – Strategies to Be There for Young People from MENTOR.
- Casel – Learn how to apply evidence-based SEL strategies to your mentoring.
- Centervention – 95 SEL Activities to do with your student(s).
- Kids in Transition – Educational Wellness Activities to do with your student(s).
- SEL Resource Library – While aimed for teachers, examine through a mentoring lens.
Academic Resources
- Khan Academy – Educational activities, step-by-step videos, and practice tests for STEM students grades K-12
- KidSites – Links to fun, educational websites for grades K-5 K, child development resources for parents, and curriculum materials for teachers.
- Homework Spot – Free homework information portal that features the very best K-12 homework-related sites together with engaging editorial in one high-utility, educational spot.
- Student Guide – Collection of resources and activities for K-12 students, including articles on hundreds of student-related topics to help them improve their study habits, writing skills, organizational skills, and analytical skills.
- Discovery Education – Free, award-winning K-12 digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and professional learning community.
- Teacher Vision – Free worksheets, graphic organizers, assessment forms, quizzes, games, activities, classroom management tools, lesson plans, bulletin board ideas, whiteboard-compatible digital books, and hundreds of supplementary videos.
- MENTOR: Goal Setting and Support – Guide to Goal Setting, positive-talk, and tracking milestones.
- National Science Foundation — Science-related educational opportunities.
- PBS Learning Media — All subject support.
- cK-12 — Homework Help (Available in Multiple Languages).
- FunBrain— Learning through games (Pre-K-8th).
- BrainPop — Educational movies, quizzes, and games (K-8th).
- EdPuzzle — Interactive videolessons.
- Teachers Pay Teachers — Digitable and Printable worksheets and activities (some cost money).
- StudyKit — Online Study Plans.
- SparkNotes — Study Guides and Practice Plans.
- Study.com — Online courses and practice problems.
- Typing.com — Online Typing pratice.
- WolframAlpha — Example problems for all subjects.
- FreeRice — Vocabulary Games.
- Google Classroom — Google Classroom Guardian Summary allows guardians of students to receive email summaries of the student’s work/updates through Google Classroom.
Math Support:
- A+ Math – Free math worksheets, games, flashcards, interactive activities, and “Homework Helper” for grades K-5.
- IXL Math – Questions, activities, and real-world scenarios for math students in grades Pre-K to 12.
- Math on Video – Instructional math videos featuring a variety of teachers explaining the same lesson in different ways.
- Math Portal – Lessons, formulas, online calculators and homework help for high school and college math students.
- Math Planet – Comprehensive math courses in Pre-algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry. Also includes prepared practice tests for the SAT and ACT.
- KutaSoftware – Customizable math worksheets.
- MathMedic – High School level math lesson plans/support.
- Desmos – Graphing Calculator and Geometry tool.
Literacy/ELA Support:
- Really Good Stuff – Designed for elementary age students, these reading sites are both free and kid-friendly.
- Book Adventure – Online collection of books for grades K-8. Includes easy search engine, offline use, and reading quizzes, and prizes.
- AdLit — All about Adolescent Literature.
- K-12 Interactive Reading – Links to free interactive reading sites and English Language Arts resources for grades K-12.
Language Support:
Standardized Test Prep:
- MCAS Prep and Past MCAS Questions — Grades 3-12th; Math, ELA, Science, Civics.
- SAT Question of the Day — Daily SAT Prep.
- Kaplan — Daily SAT Prep.
- Collegeboard SAT Suite — SAT Study Guides; Practice Tests; Practice Problems
- Newsela — Reading Comp. Practice.
- Commonlit — Reading Comp. Practice.
Post-Graduation Prep:
- ASVAB — Career Exploration Resources.
- Collegewise — College Application Resources.
Interactive/Collaborative Tools:
- Miro — Interactive/Collaborative White Board.
- Figjam — Interactive/Collaborative White Board.
- LucidSpark — Interactive/Collaborative White Board.
- Math Whiteboard — Interactive/Collaborative White Board for Math.
- Padlet— Interactive/Collaborative Bulletin Board.
- Pear Decks— Interactive/Collaborative Slideshows.
- Kami— PDF Editor/Annotator.
- LightPDF— PDF Editor/Annotator.
- XODO— PDF Editor/Annotator.
- Omnisets— Online Flashcards.
- BrainScape— Online Flashcards.
- Quizlet— Online Flashcards.
Upcoming Mentor Development Sessions
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mentor Development Sessions
Effective Match Closure Mentor Development Session: Virtual | April 16th, 2025 | 5-6:30pm
The BPIE Partnerships Team invites you to attend our upcoming virtual Mentor Development Session: Effective Match Closure. Join us on April 16th, 2025 for an opportunity to discuss how and when to end your mentoring match on a positive note. We know it can be hard to say goodbye, so we will be sharing resources and activities to ease the transition and make this an opportunity to celebrate. We will also discuss how to return as a mentor in the 2025-26 school year.
Please RSVP using this LINK.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Past Mentor Development Session Resources
Recognizing & Responding to Child Abuse Resources:
- Recognizing & Responding to Child Abuse Slides
- Guide to Reporting Exploitation
- DCF Website
- DCF Area Offices by Town
- Learn the Signs
- How to Respond
- Report Abuse
- Child Abuse Reporting Form
Youth Mental Health & Well-Being Resources:
History of BPS Busing:
Mentoring Scenarios:
Finding The Right Materials:
Researching and Sharing Materials:
Social Emotional Learning:
Panel – Impact of Academic Mentoring:
Mentor Development Sessions & Webinars
Panel: The Impact of Academic Mentoring
This special National Mentoring Month edition of our Mentor Development Sessions explores the benefits of academic mentoring, and how its effects extend beyond students to teachers, families, and mentors as well.
Understanding Students’ Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Needs
Watch a replay of our Mentor Development Session from November 16, 2022, featuring special guest Lucinda Mills – a licensed clinical social worker with the BPS Office of Social Work and one of the BPS 2021 Educator of the Year recipients.
A Holistic Approach to Student Learning
Watch a replay of our Mentor Development Session from December 13, 2021, featuring guest speakers Tina Kondopoulos and Gabby Hernandez from Northeastern University’s Peer Tutoring Program.