Kids Helping Kids Learn
December 18, 2008
Kid to Kid is a program that provides high school students with the opportunity to visit various elementary schools in the community and act as assistant teachers. This program is only available to students currently enrolled in a psychology course and can replace the grade of the psychology final. Because it is in the place of a final, the students are graded on their work. Each Kid to Kid member is assigned to create lesson plans, carry out activities and learn to interact with the children. Participants are also required to create a weekly reflection log and to write an essay at the end of the semester. The essay must incorporate the concepts learned in psychology to the Kid to Kid program.
Students who want to participate in the program should like children, be organized, and be self-disciplined, yet energetic. The program teaches students a basic foundation to psychology as well as how to observe others behavior. It also provides students with real-life examples that help them realize if teaching is a desired career path.
Students are introduced to the program in the very beginning of the semester and application is within the first week. Each student is assigned to an elementary school that feeds into their corresponding highs school, and throughout the semester, they visit the school once a week during their option period. If a student does not have an available option period, they are also allowed to visit the elementary schools after the high school day is over because the elementary school day does not end until 3:30. Students must provide their own transportation to the schools, or they can be assigned into a carpool with another student that has a car.
The program has been around before Neuqua Valley High School was built, started by Social Studies teacher Hugh Flanders in 1990. The elementary school student’s benefit as well from the experience, many high school students involved in the program remember their own Kid to Kid helpers. A Fry Elemntary School student said, “I like when they come in and help because they’re interesting!”
The teachers admit they can use the help and enjoy the high school student’s involvement in their classrooms.
“The elementary school students love it, the high school students love it, and the teachers love it,” said psychology teacher Jennifer Schmauderer.
By Kelsy Ensign, staff writer
