Marc Zydiak
Noreen Mostafa

Elementary & Middle School Teachers (grades 4 – 6) identify those students who might best benefit from Peer Tutoring.

PleasanTech Academy Charter School

7^th – 8th grades (Peer Tutors)

4^th, 5^th, 6^th grades (students tutored)

Career Education and Life Skills 9.1 A4, A5, A7, B4, B5, B6

Language Arts 3.1 A1 – H7,

3.2 A1 – D15, 3.3 A1 – D9,

3.4 A1 – B5, 3.5 A1 – C4

Mathematics:

4.1.A1 – C4, 4.2 A1 – E3, 4.3 A1 – D4, 4.4 A1 – D3,
4.5 A1 – F6

Respect, Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Citizenship, Caring

Middle school students in grades 7 and 8, nominated by their teachers as being superlative in math and language arts, and identified as having good interpersonal skills opt to do short-term independent study in their social studies and science classes in order to receive instruction in teaching language arts & math skills to younger students. In turn, they tutor elementary students in grades 4, 5 and 6. Tutoring will concentrate on preparation for the NJASK state assessment to be given in March and May respectively.

Target Audience:

Elementary students in grades 4,5, and 6.

Project takes place over a 10-week period.

When available and granted leave from social studies and/or science classes, students will tutor for up to two 50-minute periods per school day.   Students do independent study and are tested on what they have learned.                                                                                                                                                        

Peer Tutor training, reflection papers, refreshments for final celebration.

Language Arts: The project potentially encompasses all facets of the language arts literacy and math curricula. Students improve their communication skills as they tutor peers at lower grade levels, learning to listen, diagnose, problem-solve and articulate explanations to problems individual students are having which require Basic Skills help. Ideally, Peer Tutors will also develop a sense of empathy and community helping those in need of academic assistance, as well as development of a sense of gratitude, connection and camaraderie in tutored students. Students also learn to reflect on the experience and then express their feelings in writing.

Career Education and Life Skills: The 6 Pillars of Character are a central focus of this project. Students learn good citizenship, caring (empathy), respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, and fairness.

Mathematics: Depending on which areas of Basic Skills help is needed in the comprehensive set of tutoring sessions, there is a potential for all NJCCCS for Mathematics to be covered.

Language Arts Literacy:   : Depending on which areas of Basic Skills help is needed in the comprehensive set of tutoring sessions, there is a potential for all NJCCCS for Language Arts Literacy to be covered.                                                                                                                                                                        

Enlisting the participation of classroom teachers.

Present the Service Learning concept to the staff at a faculty meeting and ask for volunteers.

Performance-based Education: Students will make a presentation to the Basic Skills teachers, the Director of Curriculum and the PleasanTech Academy PACES team., illustrating traits of good character.

Cooperative Learning: Ultimately reflecting on what they learned from their experience, Peer Tutors will work together as a group of individual tutors to arrange with classroom teachers in grades 4, 5 and 6 a tutoring schedule, identified areas of need and those students who may benefit most from peer tutoring.

Interdisciplinary Approach: This project crosses the lines of curriculum by including Career Education / Life Skills, Language Arts, Literacy and Mathematics.

Personal Growth Outcomes:

Peer Tutors learn to respect each other and their clients students in need of Basic Skills help in the subject areas of Mathematics and Language Arts Literacy as they work together. Students will learn the importance of empathy for others. Students take responsibility for their own actions during the visits and also for their writing at the end of the project. Trustworthiness will be demonstrated as they leave their regular classroom and interact with students in lower grades. Citizenship is a new concept for young children but they will see that they not only are members of their own family and school, but also of a greater community.

Celebration: Bagel breakfast for the participating students.

Recognition: Recipients each write a letter of appreciation to their tutors

Key Findings: The ultimate academic results of the project aren’t clear. However, from the bi-weekly tutor meetings show a positive impact on the tutors.

Family-oriented PleasanTech Academy is its own community microcosm.   The Peer Tutoring project will bring the already-close-knit community closer together.

Parents and Volunteer Involvement:

Parents are made aware of this involvement and must grant permission for their children to participate.

Reflection Activities:

Peer Tutors meet together bi-weekly to discuss their tutoring experience and what they have learned. After group reflection, each subject and grade-specific Peer Tutor subgroup will complete a team effort journal-type reflection.

A survey will be created to evaluate the success of the program for the Peer Tutors as well as the students tutored.