Students Tutuoring Other Students During Class

[sparklynails23]

Our school district does a lot of this. They have the kids who are struggling pair up with kids who do well academically during regular class time. The school administrator asked if my son would like to do this, but I declined. He's only in 5th grade, and I think he should be learning, not teaching. If this were an after-school program, I would be all for it, but during school the teaching should be done by teachers and aides.

Does your school do this? Do you think it's a good idea or not?

 

[kamik86]

I definitely don't think this is a good idea. I was always ahead at school and hated that I had to be there I thought school should either teach me something or let me go home. It wasn't quite so much in Elementary school but in middle and definitely high school I had this attitude.

It seems this is just an excuse for the school to not have to find a way to teach students at different abilities. I wouldn't have a problem with a student being asked to learn and prepare a lesson for the class on a topic one day (espeically as an assignment that all kids get at some point like in a rotation) but would have a problem with tutoring other students.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

I'm majoring in education right now. All the classes I have taken say this is a bad idea. The teacher is there to teach, not the students.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Depends on the kid I suppose, some kids might enjoy this. As long as you can decline the offer then it is all good.

 

[Magpie]

I think peer tutoring is something that has to be handled with tact and care. It's quite true that you can learn a great deal from teaching a subject to another person. And some students really enjoy the responsibility.

However, peer tutoring should NEVER replace actual learning time for the advanced student. That student is going to school to learn, not to teach others. And unfortunately, some schools use peer tutoring as a form of busy work.

Also, every student who is being tutored needs to have the opportunity to tutor others as well. If a student who is strong in math tutors a classmate, then that child should then turn around and tutor someone else in writing. Each student needs to be allowed to contribute something valuable to the class. But if certain students are always tutors and certain students are always being tutored, then you're just setting up conflict and resentment. No one enjoys being labeled dumb or a smarty-pants.

Tutors should always be in the same grade or older. There's just no way to make being tutored by some little shrimpy kid a good experience.

We did have a program where ALL the sixth graders got to tutor first graders in reading - matched according to level so that no one ended up with a first grader who could read better than they could. It was great, and really helped strengthen the reading abilities of some of our weaker readers in sixth grade. That's the kind of student tutoring I can totally get behind.

 

[okeydokey]

It's not your child's job to teach students, it is the teacher's job.

 

[horseshowmom]

Our school district does a lot of this. They have the kids who are struggling pair up with kids who do well academically during regular class time. The school administrator asked if my son would like to do this, but I declined. He's only in 5th grade, and I think he should be learning, not teaching. If this were an after-school program, I would be all for it, but during school the teaching should be done by teachers and aides.

Does your school do this? Do you think it's a good idea or not?

Depends on the kid I suppose, some kids might enjoy this. As long as you can decline the offer then it is all good.

I have seen instances where peer tutoring was beneficial for both students. Sometimes students just need a different perspective, and they get that from a peer tutor. The peer tutor feels a sense of accomplishment from helping someone else. Should this be the only way things are taught? Definitely not, but it can be a useful tool.

 

[PollyannaMom]

...We did have a program where ALL the sixth graders got to tutor first graders in reading - matched according to level so that no one ended up with a first grader who could read better than they could. It was great, and really helped strengthen the reading abilities of some of our weaker readers in sixth grade. That's the kind of student tutoring I can totally get behind.

That I think is great!

And even in the OP's case, if it's voluntary, I think it's OK. I remember in college, doing fine in calculus, but never really understanding it until I tutored it, so I can see that the more advanced kid is probably getting something out of it too. - But I would really like to see it as a studyhall or after-school activity they sign up for, not during regular class time.

 

[hereyago]

Ok, DD's school doesn't do this officially; BUT: last year in 6th grade, when a student was done with his/her work, he could go help someone who was having trouble during that class.

This year: 7th grade: They have more work, so finishing early is something not done much, so I haven't heard about helping your neighbor in class. BUT: 2 of the teachers have a homework blog and the kids can go on there if they are having trouble and have the other kids try to "guide" them to the answer without telling them the answer. if the kid still doesn't get it, the teacher will get on and email that student for more guidance.

Also, once a week high school kids that are in the National Honor Society come over and tutor the kids as well as twice a week the teachers are there for about an hour after school lets out to help for individual problems.

 

[2binak]

I had a teacher do this this when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. It worked really well actually. I think that sometimes, having the lesson come from a peer who is more on your level of learning, is a great way to learn. It gives the child who is teaching a sense of being helpful and the child who is learning may feel less pressure when working with a peer rather than a adult.

Isn't it nurses who say, "See one, do one, teach one"? I would say that this is sort of along the lines of that same philosophy.

 

[HelenePA]

My dd8's class does this. She is a natural teacher so it works well for her, now if it was my sons class I'm not sure it would work. I guess it depends on the student doing the teaching.

 

[honugirl]

In elementary school, I tutored the 1st grade lower level readers in 6th grade and enjoyed it. I think it really made a difference in my studying because it was something new every week, something to look forward to, almost like a reward.

Now I'm in college and I don't mind tutoring some students, especially the ones that work to get the answers themselves, it helps cement the concepts in my head when I need to explain it. I don't like helping students, then having them copy my answers down. That frustrates me. I'm not here to pull you along. Do your own work! I've started working ahead so that doesn't happen. I guess if both students are doing the work and both students are getting something out of it, great! If not, don't do it.

 

[MushyMushy]

Actually I am all for peer tutoring if done correctly. It can benefit both students. The one doing the tutoring can increase their own understanding of the subject matter by helping out someone who doesn't understand it quite as well.

From what I remember of the research I'd read, you're supposed to pair up students who are fairly close in understanding. You wouldn't want to pair up the brightest student with the lowest -- rather, you would group them more similarly.

 

[Tinkh]

Actually I am all for peer tutoring if done correctly. It can benefit both students. The one doing the tutoring can increase their own understanding of the subject matter by helping out someone who doesn't understand it quite as well.

From what I remember of the research I'd read, you're supposed to pair up students who are fairly close in understanding. You wouldn't want to pair up the brightest student with the lowest -- rather, you would group them more similarly.

Agree with this. I am in a tough respiratory care program and the students that have study groups are the ones that are thriving. We teach one another on a level that we can understand and it reinforces our original understanding. Also, it magnifies where we are weak so that we can strengthen our understanding.

 

[Agri]

I was one of those advanced kids and I *loved* tutoring my peers.

I would investigate this a bit more - just because its during class time, doesn't mean its during actual instructional time.

I learned so much from peer tutoring - how to explain something in detail, patience, how to understand different perspectives, etc. If I hadn't tutored, I would have been stuck sitting there reading a book to myself instead. Most things came very quickly to me and I didn't fully understand how the rest of the world lives until I was helping my friends who struggled. I was also so used to just doing things, I learned a lot by having to break things down into steps for others.

Just because a child is teaching another child, doesn't mean they aren't still learning some important life lessons.

 

[rigs32]

I HATED it in elementary school. And as a young person it's tough to verbalize your discomfort in a way that a young teacher will really listen.

 

[MushyMushy]

Just because a child is teaching another child, doesn't mean they aren't still learning some important life lessons.

Exactly. People seem to think that a teacher should be standing in front of a class lecturing for the entire period for learning to occur. That's the last kind of classroom I want my child in. I want her to be in one where she's utilizing all of the learning styles and interacting with her peers.

 

[jodifla]

I was one of those advanced kids and I *loved* tutoring my peers.

I would investigate this a bit more - just because its during class time, doesn't mean its during actual instructional time.

I learned so much from peer tutoring - how to explain something in detail, patience, how to understand different perspectives, etc. If I hadn't tutored, I would have been stuck sitting there reading a book to myself instead. Most things came very quickly to me and I didn't fully understand how the rest of the world lives until I was helping my friends who struggled. I was also so used to just doing things, I learned a lot by having to break things down into steps for others.

Just because a child is teaching another child, doesn't mean they aren't still learning some important life lessons.

Exactly! Great points.

 

[JessicaR]

When my oldest started middle school he had random classes that 1/2 way through the year my friend (her son was with my son) and I noticed that our kids were being paired with kids that obviously needed help and/or had issues. At first we were like OK no big deal. The trend continued the next year. Finally we were told the classes were inclusion classes and our kids among others were in it to help the others.

Honestly as long as my son was learning and wasn't distracted I had no problem with this. The following year there was a student that just had too many issues and the class was obviously being disrupted. She and I both went to the principle to discuss it. They were both removed from the class. However over the years and even in HS he still is paired occasionally to help others. He doesn't mind and actually seems to enjoy it.

I think its a great idea but I think it would have been nice to tell the parents this was the purpose! That did annoy me.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My son's teacher let's him do this and he loves it. His self-confidence could use a boost, so I don't mind.