Peer Mentoring: Does it Really Work?

I have always been on the fence about the concept of Peer Mentoring and have often wondered how effective it really is in the long term.

My observation, based on my own experience, is that inclusion, while it can open doors for many children, is not enough on its own. Sometimes our desire to see all kids learning and playing together peacefully overrides what is truly practical and in the best interest of the children.  I've seen that many times we emphasize & rely on inclusion too much & for the wrong reasons.

I strongly believe that there is a logical hierarchy & progression to learning. If a child's basic sensory needs are not being met, and the sensory system is imbalanced or out of control, social skills are irrelevant. You cannot effectively teach to an overloaded brain and an overloaded brain will not remember what skill is appropriate when it is in 'fight or flight' mode. Cognitive, academic and social concepts are too much to process to a child that is having sensory overload and can't sit still or listen to prompts and instructions. Sensory systems need to be regulated & calm, before cognitive learning to take place. Only after that can you begin to slowly introduce, and practice, social concepts.

I've used inclusion, partnering and Social Thinking strategies in yoga classes for added support for the kids who need it. This enables the socially challenged child to participate in an activity that he or she may not have been exposed to otherwise. Every class begins with a warm up of  sensory activities, whether I am working with an adaptive class, or a non-adaptive class. Integrated senses=better cognitive/social learning. Some do well, and others clearly need more support than I can ever give in the framework of a weekly yoga session. What I can offer is a way to get the senses integrated and the central nervous system to settle down. That's a start.

To be honest, in some cases, I've seen friendships begin to grow and in others, I've seen the very opposite. The truth is, that when attempting to teach social skills we need to be practical and fully aware that it could succeed and have the positive outcomes we want to see, or it could fail, resulting in frustration, and re-enforcing the very problem that we set out to resolve, which is isolation. Remember that inclusion, coaching, prompting and modeling will only take the student so far-he or she needs constant, customized support as the complex world of social interactions is explored.

I came across this recent article that mirrors my thoughts about modeling and gives a logical, well written answer to what I've always wondered: 

Reality and Misconceptions About Helping Kids Improve their Social Skills 

In this article, the author, Ryan Wexelblatt, MSS, founder and Director of Camp Sequoia, discusses where this practice of Peer Modeling and the misconceptions about it originate from. He also offers three practical components to consider when teaching children social skills.

Parents & educators, what are your thoughts & experiences on teaching social skills to children? What has worked and what has not?




Camp Sequoia is an innovative overnight camp in Pottstown, Pennsylvania for children who need help with social skills. Most Sequoia campers are diagnosed with one or more of the following: ADD/ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders and Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NLD). Find out more about them at the link above.
 
 
Contact: barbara@bodylogique.com