#  Harvard Students: Learn to Teach & Mentor 

 



##  Provide academic enrichment to local youth at the Ed Portal 

 

 

       ![Mentors in a group photo at the Mentoring Showcase](/sites/g/files/omnuum12051/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-05/042525_Youth_Mentoring_0113.jpg?itok=PQ-gM-Bd) 

 

 



 

 



 

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Since 2008, Harvard undergraduates have offered engaging, interdisciplinary educational programs to community members through the Harvard Ed Portal (HEP) in Allston. Our undergraduates work closely with HEP staff to create and deliver one-on-one and small group academic enrichment for youth in grades 1-8, and to support education in the arts, digital literacy, health and wellness, workforce development, and college and career preparedness for learners of all ages.

All Mentors meet regularly to learn about the art of teaching, and are expected to implement best teaching practices in their work.



 

##  Commitment Expectations 

 Being a Harvard Ed Portal Mentor is a substantial time commitment.  
Accepted undergraduates are expected to prioritize working as a Mentor ahead of extra-curricular activities, committing fully to:

- The equivalent of one afternoon per week from approximately 2:45pm–6:15pm (times vary for different assignments) for in-person instructional delivery at the Harvard Ed Portal or on-site at partner schools or organizations
- Regular workshops, training, one-on-one or group planning sessions and critiques led by experienced educators and program staff
- Weekly individual time devoted to activity research, preparation, and lesson documentation
- Approximately 2 hours per week of meeting time with co-leaders and program staff
- A Saturday retreat at the beginning of each semester
- Written or recorded reflections about their personal teaching and learning process



 

##  Apply To Become A Mentor 

   ![Mentor and mentee read together at a table](/sites/g/files/omnuum12051/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-05/042525_Youth_Mentoring_0214.jpg?itok=cofkfTjf) 

 

Harvard Ed Portal Mentors work directly with Allston-Brighton youth, families, teens and adults, and are ambassadors for Harvard in the community. Mentors meet regularly as a group to discuss issues around teaching and learning, and complete written reflections on their development as educators.

[Apply Today](https://airtable.com/shrqCTlEfstIBMTNe)



 

##  Mentor Perspectives 

 



 ### Gracia Perala '25

Empowering mentees to embrace the process and pursue the topics they're passionate about has been worth the walk across the river to the Ed Portal every single week.



 

 ### Gavin Lindsey '25

Showing up week after week and seeing a student’s confidence grow, whether it was through a one on one interaction, a science of cooking recipe, a question they were proud to ask, or a moment of connection, it reminded me how powerful mentorship and teaching can be.



 

 ### Amina Salahou '25

I saw firsthand how powerful it is to create a space where kids feel seen, supported, and excited to learn. Being part of their creative journeys—and knowing I helped spark joy and exploration- has been incredibly rewarding.



 

  

 

 

 



###    What is the Harvard Ed Portal Teaching and Mentoring Program?  expand\_more  

 

Each semester, 25-35 Harvard College undergraduates serve as Mentors at the Harvard Ed Portal located at 224 Western Avenue in Allston. Mentors fulfill important community outreach roles for Harvard by working with Allston-Brighton children, teens, and adults from a variety of backgrounds.

Mentors encourage youth to explore science, writing, public speaking, math, technology, and the arts; work with high school students on college and career preparation; and support adults as they learn workplace skills. Mentors intentionally develop their own skills as educators, embodying a commitment to lifelong learning.

Under the direction of Assistant Director for Socially Engaged Learning, Leah Dodell, undergraduate Mentors create curricula, instruct, support each other, and submit reflective writing and media about their experiences. Most accepted undergraduates find the program to be personally rewarding and stay for many semesters, forming a meaningful community around teaching and learning.



 

 

 



###    What is the Harvard Ed Portal and what community does it serve?  expand\_more  

 

 The Harvard Ed Portal is an innovative collaborative partnership involving Harvard University, the City of Boston, the Harvard Allston Task Force, and the Allston-Brighton community. Located at the crossroads of the North Allston-Brighton neighborhood and Harvard’s campus, the Ed Portal serves as a physical place for members of the Allston- Brighton and Harvard communities to come together to share ideas and learn from one another. The Ed Portal fosters innovative ways of learning and provides programming in creative and performing arts; science and technology; wellness and recreation; and economic, workforce, and professional development for learners of all ages.



 

 

 



###    Where is the Harvard Ed Portal?  expand\_more  

 

 [Visit our contact page for directions.](/contact)



 

 

 



###    Who are Mentors?  expand\_more  

 

 We welcome applications from undergraduates across all concentrations. Becoming a successful mentor is a multi-semester endeavor; we prioritize applicants who are interested in staying with the program for more than a year. Undergraduates interested in completing the Education Secondary find HEP work to be complementary to their studies.



 

 

 



###    What does the Mentoring commitment entail?  expand\_more  

 

 Being an Ed Portal Mentor is a substantial time commitment. Accepted undergraduates are expected to prioritize working as a Mentor ahead of extra-curricular activities, committing fully to:

- Orientation and training that includes in-person and virtual meetings and recorded modules;
- One afternoon per week from approximately 2:45pm–6:15pm for in-person instructional delivery at the Harvard Ed Portal or on-site at partner schools or organizations;
- Weekly individual time devoted to activity research, preparation, and lesson documentation;
- Approximately 2 hours per week of online meeting time for undergraduate pedagogy cohort meetings, co-teaching meetings, or meetings with program managers;
- A Saturday retreat at the beginning of each semester;
- Writing or recording reflections about their personal teaching and learning process;
- Participation with mentees in an end-of-semester event;
- Semester-end reporting on mentees;
- Participation in undergraduate community-building and recruiting activities.



 

 

 



###    What are some examples of Mentor work in education?  expand\_more  

 

 In Spring 2023, our Mentors co-led afterschool design-engineering activities at an affordable housing complex, co-taught 1st grade and 2nd grade literacy, as well as 4th grade afterschool science classes for Boston Public School’s aftercare program.

 They also designed and led original clubs in graphic design for middle school students, graphic novel creation for 3rd-5th graders, science of cooking for middle school students, plus provided language translation support for English Language Learner (ELL) teens at Brighton High School, and supported college and career events for local high school students.

 In addition, a number of mentors provided hands-on, creative interdisciplinary one-on-one mentoring for 1st-8th graders in the community.



 

 

 



###    What training do Mentors receive?  expand\_more  

 

 Mentors receive training each semester in different aspects of pedagogy and educational delivery. Topics include but are not limited to: growth mindset, active and inclusive teaching, the learning cycle, backward design from learning objectives, group management, and content area activities. New mentors complete or attend an online Youth Protection module and several morning orientation meetings.

 Every semester, all mentors participate in:

- Preparatory afternoon meetings before the 10-week mentoring program begins;
- Weekly individual preparation of learning goals, lesson plans, and sometimes independent critiques of each other's plans;
- Occasional readings or pre-work for group meetings;
- Regular meetings to share ideas, discuss issues around teaching and learning, and complete reflective writing about teaching;
- One Saturday retreat that includes workshops by guest educators, educational resources, and strategies in the arts, science, writing, math, and more.



 

 

 



###    How are Mentors scheduled?  expand\_more  

 

 Two weeks after semester classes begin, Mentors are asked to commit to the equivalent of one afternoon each week. Specific times may vary depending upon the teaching/mentoring assignment.

 Typically, Mentors arrive at the Harvard Ed Portal by 3:00pm and remain to clean up and eat dinner together after instructional time ends at 6:00pm EST. From 3:00pm–4:00pm, Mentors might go over lesson plans with staff, help each other prepare, and/or travel to off-site venues. One-on-one mentoring sessions for 3rd–8th graders take place at the HEP at 4:00pm and 5:00pm, while off-site instruction at partner schools or organizations have somewhat different schedules. Some programs for adults or youth may be scheduled during the school day or in the evenings on weekdays.

 All Mentors attend weekly online or in-person pedagogy and planning meetings where they compare notes and support each other's teaching, and additional meetings with co-instructors or program managers as appropriate.

 Each semester, a mandatory Saturday retreat offers HEP Harvard students and staff to connect and take a deep dive into selected topics. All Mentors also participate in an end-of-term showcase where undergraduates and their students share their work with the community.



 

 

 



###    How are Mentors financially compensated?  expand\_more  

 

Undergraduate mentors are paid with a starting rate of $17.50/hour for time that includes training, meetings, lesson preparation and delivery, and reflection. On average, undergraduates devote between 5–8 hours per week to the program for a period of 9-10 weeks per semester. Mentors who return are given a pay raise each year. Travel off-site is compensated as appropriate.

All interested applicants must be legal to work in the United States. Both work-study and non work-study students are eligible.



 

 

 



###    What is the application process and timeline?  expand\_more  

 

Interviews take place within the first 10 days of class each semester. We encourage interested students to apply as early as possible and we accept applicants from all concentrations. Exactly 2 weeks after classes begin, we ask for a firm schedule commitment with program onboarding taking place the following week. Final placement on the mentoring program schedule requires a match between an accepted candidate's availability and program need.

We look for demonstrated creativity, an ability to connect with and communicate to students of all ages, an eagerness to break down barriers between academic subjects, art, and technology, an understanding of how to represent the University in the community, and the desire to be an active member of our undergraduate group. Please direct questions about the program to Leah Dodell, of Socially Engaged Learning ([leah\_dodell@harvard.edu](mailto:leah_dodell@harvard.edu)) or Mariah Smith-Sharpe, Mentoring Coordinator ([mariah\_smith-sharpe@harvard.edu](mailto:mariah_smith-sharpe@harvard.edu)).