Train experts in peer teaching

through Jean Desjardins and Isabelle Senécal, Sainte-Anne College

Teachers from Collège Sainte-Anne share their winning strategies to support their so-called “weak third” students, without lowering their expectations of others. Today, we are discovering a strategy based on the sponsorship of small groups by “expert” students.

Peer teaching is a great way to challenge strong students while supporting those in the weak third. But such differentiation is not always easy to establish in large groups, which are often heterogeneous. Brigitte Sauvé, math teacher, Guylaine Beaupré, chemistry teacher, Geneviève Décarie and Ménaïc Champoux, French teachers, all set up a system of experts, before or after the assessment.

The principles of the strategy

• Select students who are doing very well and assign them heterogeneous teams.

Or

• Randomly form teams with the Google tool by Mathieu Boucher and Jean Desjardins, adapted froma device by David Beauchesne.

Or

• Associate the students by type of difficulty.

Before an assessment: “experts” develop new skills and prepare review material for their team.

After an assessment : the “experts” take the time to review the specific difficulties of each member.

Added value for the weak third

• More individualized support;
• Students more comfortable asking questions;
• Valorization of mutual aid and collaboration;
• Allows an oral demonstration of comprehension.