by Jody Barnes

Created on: April 22, 2008

In first grade, I remember being asked by my teacher to help another child read a story that was difficult, and I jumped at the chance. Eventually though, I became frustrated, not only because sometimes I wasn't very successful in teaching, but because it started to feel like a burden. Luckily, since then, many aspects of public education have changed, and while the system is not perfect, there have been many improvements. I would consider modern peer-tutoring to have significant advantages over the system I experienced in school. Peer-tutoring still has its pros and cons for all students involved, but to express the good and bad aspects of classroom tutoring specifically relating to gifted children, its important to be up to date on the three biggest "rules" of peer-tutoring.

1. Peer tutors need to be trained/supervised. Teachers require a four-year degree and specialized training before they are allowed to teach children; throwing a child into a peer-tutoring situation without at least a few guidelines and a watchful adult eye is acknowledged to be irresponsible.

2. Pairing the smartest child with the one who needs the most help isn't always the best use of student resources. Modern peer-tutoring either involves all children in the classroom and everyone gets a chance to learn by teaching, or all children are offered the opportunity to become peer tutors, and can elect to not participate. Because of this, the teacher has to consider the strengths and weaknesses of children when pairing them together, and it might be more beneficial for the gifted children in the class to be paired with high- or average-achievers who just need additional practice or could benefit from the advanced insight of their talented peers.

3. Peer tutoring activities are structured, focused sessions in which the tutor and tutee have specific tasks and goals to achieve. This reduces the opportunity for confusion and frustration. In the past Johnny may have been asked to "help Jill improve her paper," but today, Johnny and Jill will know that by the end of the session they will have proofread the paper together and will have three goals for how Jill can improve her next draft.

Because teachers today have significantly greater access to educational research, resources, and curriculum guides than they did even just ten years ago, there are no excuses for making a bright student be responsible for teaching the students who are falling behind. An inclusive classroom means that the needs of all

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