Journal #10

"Inspiring Students with Peer Tutoring" by Brandy Smith

This article tells how a teacher in an urban, Midwestern school formed an after-school Tech Club modeled on peer tutoring. She had the teachers choose students using criteria designed to choose students who were not already experiencing great academic success, in order to provide them with a growth opportunity. She got the program off the ground with grant money and continued the club on her own after the monies ran out. The program is very successful and all parties, students, teachers, and the peer educators, have benefited from this program.

Is is appropriate to use students as teachers? I really believe in this concept. Being able to teach a skill to others is a very empowering experience and builds confidence. I do think teachers have to guard against against overuse of the more competent students as teachers but this program is very structured. Having the "tech kids" available to assist with technology means less waiting and frustration for a class. One thing the article did not address was how the students handled being out of their own classes when they were assisting in other classes. I would have liked to know how this was dealt with.

Can a program like this help teachers who are reluctant to adopt and use new technology? It appears this program was very successful in that regard. There was a large increase in teachers checking out the computer cart for use in their classrooms. Sometimes just exposure to the learning opportunities technology can provide is the impetus a teacher needs to become more open to the use of technology.

This program accomplished its goal of empowering both students and teachers. It provides a model for other schools who might be looking to integrate more technology into their classrooms.