Dr. Carolyn Hughes Principal Investigator order term paper, speaking about academic. Department of Special Education P.O. Box 328 Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203

Peer Buddy Overview

Getting Started

Implementing the Peer Buddy Program

Descriptive Articles

Contact Us

Implementing the Peer Buddy Program

Introduce the New Course

1.   Pursue application process for new course approval through . . .

• Local School Board

• State Department of Education

• Copy of Metropolitan Nashville Application

2.     Establish a base of support at the school level with . . .

• Administration

• Guidance department

• Faculty (both general and vocational education)

3.     Establish an Advisory Board composed of . . .

• Students (both peer buddies and their special education partners)

• Parent representatives

• Faculty (both general and special education representatives)

• Administration and guidance department representatives

• Meet once a semester to gather ideas and feedback

Recruiting Peer Buddies

1.     List the course in the school's course catalog

2.     Distribute course outlines to guidance personnel

• One page course description

• Include criteria for selecting appropriate peer buddies

3.     Introduce course at a faculty meeting

• Request assistance from other teachers to identify good candidates for the course

4.     Present course description to student clubs

• Future Teachers of America (FTA)

• Honors clubs or service clubs

5.      Advertising

• Posters or flyers (enlist help from the art club)

• Videos, Channel 1

• Announcements in classes which catch all of the students at one grade level (such as Junior English classes)

Screening Candidates

1.     Referral through Guidance Counselor

• Life Skills teachers and guidance counselors should determine together the appropriate number of peer buddies to place in one classroom each period  

• Student completes Peer Buddy Application

• Student obtains teacher recommendation

2.     Student completes interview with special education teacher

• Student takes application and teacher recommendation to interview

• Recommend asking applicants to observe in Life Skills classroom for one period  

3.      Written application by student should include:

• What motivated the student to apply to become a Peer Buddy

• Any previous experience working with individuals with disabilities  

• Any clubs, extracurricular activities or hobbies of the student  

• Student's schedule and lunch period  

• Application gives teacher a writing sample as well  

Training Peer Buddies

1.     Student observes in classroom first several periods and meets each of the class members  

2.     Special Ed teacher models communication skills, verbal and physical prompts, and reinforcement techniques  

3.     Teacher conducts initial orientation (two or three class periods)

4.     Required readings

• Peer Buddy Manual

• Teacher generated curriculum  

5.     Peer support and on-going training

• Establish a Peer Buddy Club  

• Arrange times for them to share experiences and ideas once a month, or once a semester  

• This also provides an opportunity for training with the entire group

6.     Establish a "Lunch Bunch"

• Invite the peer buddies to join the class once a week for lunch, or have the peer buddies invite their partners to join them and their friends for lunch once each week  

• Invite any students interested in joining the lunch bunch--helps facilitate integration within the cafeteria and includes students unable to enroll in the peer tutoring course  

Expectations and Evaluation

1.     Buddies spend one period each day with their partners

• Suggest using a sign-in sheet

2.     Buddy keeps daily journal of activities and perceptions

• Teacher reviews journal weekly

• Recommend journal count as part of the grade

3.     Written assignments

• Task analysis of a particular skill, sample in peer buddy manual  

• Report on a specific issue in Special Education  

• Report on a specific disability

• Other suggested written assignments  

• Related web sites as resources

4.     Regularly scheduled observation and feedback sessions between supervising teacher and peer buddy

• Give peer buddy Observation and Evaluation form

• Address interaction skills, time management, use of social reinforcement, appropriate teaching strategies  

• Give suggestions for objectives and activities  

5.     Follow school make-up policy

• Give peer buddies clear guidelines at beginning of semester regarding attendance, make-up policy, expectations and your grading system  

6.     Grading suggestions

• Using a point system may be easier than calculating percentages