By Debbie Chen
The school’s special education department is looking for peer tutors to work with its students. If you need credits and are looking for an amazing experience, this may be the perfect way to spend your second semester.
The department contains around 31 students with special needs. It is run by the IDEAS Program, which stands for Independent Diversity Educating All Students. The goal of this program is to teach and prepare the students for the future.
Peer tutor Emilee Strech (’14) said, “My favorite student is Tyus Sawyer…he is so sweet and helping him with his homework really helps me really give back to society and makes me feel good to always help a friend.”
Peer tutors, unlike aides, receive both credit and a grade. They help with things like writing and vocab, and through the process, learn about curriculum and strategies that are good for future teachers. They may help in any of the periods from 1 – 6.
“It’s shown me what it is to be a better person. It has made me really grow as a person, its made me more of a caring and patient person, and to try to get to know the inner person better. The students are quite an example to me,” said Brian Miller, who also works as a peer tutor.
“It’s really a heartwarming experience,” said Mr. Young, head of the department. “You can feel like you’re actually helping out, and it’s good for students that want to be teachers in the future. It’s like putting the foot in the water, so to speak.”
If you are interested, contact Mr. Young or Mrs. Baird.
