Designing Effective Peer Tutors and Classroom

Relationships

Richard BlasiSue ConefryBrian Danser

Matthew GensLauren Lewis

Kimberly Stavac

What is a Classroom Community?

A Community Based on Values of Respect and Concern for Others

A real or authentic community doesn’t feel empty. It is constructed over time by people with a common purpose who come to know and trust each other.

Classroom Communities

The development of positive social relationships is vital to supporting students with behavior needs

Keys to positive communities: trust, safety, belonging, respect, and love

Supportive Classroom Environment

A community based on values of respect and concern for others

A democratic environment that fosters self-direction and decision making by students

Classroom Communities Inclusive classrooms create

opportunities for interaction that are required for students with/without disabilities to form social bonds.

Teachers can support the development of a community of learners through the use of programs to build social relationship which require students to support one another.

What is Peer Tutoring?

One child teaches academic skills to another child

An opportunity for students of all ages and ability levels to interact and participate together in an integrated learning environment

Peer Training Essential to every peer tutor program Can be time consuming

Characteristics: Disability awareness Clear instructions Teaching strategies Feedback for tutors Tutor quizzes

What Teachers Can Do

Explain and demonstrate peer tutoring Give students time to practice

Teach children good tutor and tutee behaviors

Suggest appropriate materials to match abilities

Teach how students can keep track of progress

Developing a Peer Tutoring Program

Identify qualified students who may be interested

Obtain permission from parents for the involvement of the child Tutor and Tutee

Give information about the program Enhances the learning environment for both tutee

and tutor Leadership opportunities Strengthen relationship based on understanding and

responsibility

Finding A Location Which of these three locations would

be better for tutoring and which would be the worst? Why?

Outside Quiet Classroom

Library

Types of Peer Tutoring

ClasswideThe entire class participates.Students take turns acting as both tutor and tutee.

Cross-AgeOlder student is matched with a younger student (Ex: Kindergarten & 3rd Grade).An average age difference of two years is sufficient to benefit both parties.

Small GroupTeacher works with one small group.Second small group participates in peer tutoring.The rest of the class works on independent work.Tutoring groups rotate daily so that each group engages in each activity.

One-to-OneOnly select tutees participate in the one-to-one format, specifically students in need.They are paired with select tutors who are usually highly trained students.

Advantages of Peer Tutoring

Classwide This type of tutoring can be used to teach skills across a wide range of subject

areas. It is effective in increasing measures of curriculum based achievement. Students, teachers, and parents like this format.

Cross-Age This type of tutoring can be used to teach a wide variety of subjects to students

with varying abilities. Tutors often require little training.

Small Group This type of tutoring has the flexibility of scheduling who participates as well as

when tutoring occurs.

One-to-One This type of tutoring can apply to a variety of subject areas. It also allows flexibility in scheduling.

Disadvantages of Peer Tutoring

Classwide Time Consuming A significant amount of time is needed for the teacher to plan and prepare

the program and train students.

Cross-Age Lacks flexibility due to the need to coordinate schedules

Small Group The teacher is not typically able to monitor the tutoring sessions because

he or she will be instructing other students during that time.

One-to-One The time needed to train tutors individually and monitor tutoring sessions

is great. This is even more difficult if tutors are less skilled.

Beneficial Effects of Peer Tutoring

Four Commonly Cited Benefits of Peer and Cross-Age Tutoring

The learning of academic skills The development of social

behaviors and classroom discipline The enhancement of peer relations (Greenwood, Carta, and Hall 1988, p.

264). Researchers have also identified

improvements in self-esteem

Benefits to Students

Individualized to meet student’s needs Improves academic performance and on-task

behavior Good for mainstreaming students with disabilities. More opportunities to talk about what they are

learning More opportunities to ask questions Someone to help and encourage them to finish

assignments Honesty

Benefits to Tutors

Tutors have academic gains from teaching skills to peers

It improves self-concept and positive attitude toward school

Students take ownership and leadership of learning and become more responsible

Benefits to Teachers

Provides individualized instruction without imposing constant demands on the teacher’s time

Helps teachers to include mainstreamed students with disabilities in large-group academic instruction

Cost-effective

Peer Tutor Scenario

A tutee won’t make eye contact and is constantly looking down. She sits at a distance, removed from the table, and looks very uncomfortable. Her arms are crossed and she won’t ask questions. When pressed, she responds with simple nods. What can you tell about this student from her body language? Describe two things you might do in order to help this student feel more comfortable.

Works Cited Barfield, J., Hannigan-Downs, S., & Lieberman, L.

(2007). Implementing a Peer Tutor Program: Strategies for Practitioners. Physical Educator, 55, 211-221.

Miller, A. D., Barbetta, P. M., & Heron, T. E., (1994). START tutoring: Designing, training, implementing, adapting, and evaluating tutoring program for school and home settings. In R. Gardner, D. M. Sainato, J. O. Cooper, T. E. Heron, W. L. Heward, J. Eshleman, & T. A. Grossi (Eds.), Behavior Analysis in Education: Focus on Measurably Superior Instruction (pp. 265-282). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.