Educators
How do I include a student with severe disabilities into my classroom? The quick and easy answer is to include the student with a disability into your class in every activity in every way that you can. Find creative ways to include him/her. Any further and specific questions should be discussed with the special education teacher.
How do I “use” a peer tutor? The special education teacher should have discussed with you how to “use” peer tutors in your class, what the peer tutors should be doing with and for the student with a disability, how much the peer tutors are needed, and have given you specific examples. If you have questions, email the teacher or set up a time to meet with him/her. Remember that the peer tutor is there as a type of support mechanism. The peer tutor is not to come to class and just sit next to the student with a disability. The peer tutor is to work side-by-side with student with a disability. Just because there is a peer tutor with a particular student, please do not make them their own group. The student with a disability and peer tutor are to be included as any other students in your class, and while they should work together, the peer tutor and the student should be assigned to groups in your class as you would anyone else!
Why do I need a peer tutor in my class? You may not always need a peer tutor in your class. If you feel that you and the other class members can give the supports needed, then discuss this with the special education teacher. If you feel that you need a peer tutor at certain times, then request this of the special education teacher. If you tell the special education teacher that you do not need a peer tutor, and then later come to believe that you do, then discuss it with the special education teacher and explain why.
What do I do if the peer tutor is disrupting my class? You handle the peer tutor just like you would with any other student in your classroom. If the problem continues, then you need to address the special education teacher and discuss not allowing the peer tutor to attend your class. This can be handled through the observations of the peer tutor and the weekly meetings.
What do I do if the peer tutor is not assisting the special education student and is socializing with other students in my classroom? This problem also needs to be handled as you would any other student in your classroom. Try to move the peer tutor and the student to a different group. If the problem continues, then you need to address the special education teacher and discuss possible options. The peer tutors get daily points depending on their work. This problem should reflect in the daily grade, as well as the observations.
What are the limits of a peer tutor? The purpose of having a peer tutor attend a general education class with a special education student is to support and assist the special education student in the class. The peer tutor is told to work side-by-side with the special education student in ALL of the class activities. The peer tutor can adapt the lessons, can read the work, can scribe for the special education student and when needed can go on field trips with the class. Peer tutors are not to be used as discipline figures, they are not to do the work for the special education student, and they are not to take the place of or do the work of the teacher. A peer tutor is not a teacher and should not be treated as the person responsible for the special education student. The teacher whose class the special education student is in is the person responsible for the special education student and peer tutor.
Do I listen to what the peer tutor recommends for the special education student? The general education teacher might want to listen and hear what the peer tutor suggests and recommends for the special education student. The decision ultimately falls on the general education teacher. The peer tutor may have a little more time spent with the special education student, so in some situations the peer tutor may have some good input, but if the general education teacher has any doubts or questions as to what to do, the best piece of advice is to check with the special education teacher. The special education teacher should address any major issues directly with the general education teacher and not through the peer tutor.
Am I responsible for giving the peer tutor a grade? The special education teacher is the person responsible for assigning the peer tutor grade. Part of the grade relies on daily point for attendance, effort and participation. There is also an observation grade. The general education teacher can have input on the peer tutor’s grade through these 2 ways. The general education teacher is responsible for the grade of the special education student enrolled in the class.
The peer tutor is not on my roll list, so do I take attendance? The peer tutor is on the attendance roll of the special education teacher. What is recommended is that the peer tutor checks in every day with the special education teacher before attending your class. It will vary per student needs if the peer tutor walks with the special education student to class or not. If the special education student is present in your class and you have not been told that a peer tutor would not be there that day, then you may want to pass word down to the special education teacher. The special education teacher should address the matter of a peer tutor not attending class, with the special education student, with the general education teacher.
What if the special education student comes to class without a peer tutor?