Peer Power!

In considering the need for facilitating independence in our kids with special needs, and the tight-wire paras walk as they try to provide just the right amount of support, I was reminded of a time when I saw peer support at its best.

A.Z. was a 4th grader with significant needs, skills more typical of a 3 year old.  His parents wanted him in a general education classroom, so he had a 1:1 para and some direct pull out instruction for services.  Over 75% of his day was with his peers.  One day when I was at that school for a coaching visit and learned that his para left because she was ill.  The SPED teacher was working frantically to find someone to place in his room with him, so I went to the room to give her time to find someone.  I quietly told the teacher that the para was not coming back that day and asked what I could do to help.  She told me not to worry, that they had it covered.  I then watched as she turned to his group to tell them that they would not have the help of a para for their math task, and that they needed to determine as a group which of A's goals he would work on during math that day.  I looked on the wall close to them to see a small poster of "A's Goals", listing 1) recognize colors, 2) answer social questions with 2 or more words, 3) read environmental print, 4) listen to a story and answer 1 question about it.  They put their heads together, then one girl pulled a set of markers out of her box.  She gave them to A and told him that when they asked for a color, he needed to hand her the correct one.  The group then proceeded in creating a large graph of some data they had collected the day before.  A was very serious as he held the markers and selected one each time the group needed to change colors.  It was obvious that they did indeed "have this covered" and did not need me.

How much power do we leave on the table when we do not ask peers to support each other?  They have so much more flexibility in their problem solving than adults typically do, and the results can be amazing!