Hi Everyone! I am so excited to hear about everyone getting involved in the peer tutoring program! We have seen so many wonderful things happen with this program at KCC for students with disabilities and non-disabled peers alike. Here are some things that my peer tutors are involved with regularly here at KCC: Daily academic support throughout instruction, social skills work, support for inclusion in extra-curricular activities (one peer tutor was escorted by a student for HOCO court), peer tutors help the students run their coffee shop class business, peer tutors join for CBI experiences, KVEC experiences, and more. They have also peer trained in confidentiality. If anyone wants any info about anything we do here in our program, feel free to reach out!

Hello everyone!!  It has been such a blessing to be involved in this program and I have already made some meaningful connections for my students and learned so much about how effective this program can be.  My students really enjoyed using the VR headsets in the early part of the school year, so much so that we inquired about how we can integrate it into our routine on a more regular basis.  With Will's help, we have been able to incorporate more VR into our daily routine and are looking to purchase several more VR headsets for our students at Pikeville HS.  I'm sure you're asking, how does this fit in with peer mentoring?  One of our peer mentors is currently involved in the University of Kentucky transition to Engineering program and the capstone project this student has selected is how VR technology and software can impact low incidence students and how this technology can help them to generalize skills.  I am blown away by how not only my students are thriving in their experiences with peer mentoring but how my student leaders are breaking new ground on how low incidence students can impact my classroom. It has been truly rewarding watching this incredible interaction.  Thankful and blessed are understatements to the emotions I feel every day to be a small piece to this amazing work.  

Hey Brian!

So glad you are doing peer tutoring! I know you will love the experience and so will all of your students and peer tutors. It is one of the best things about my LI Program at KCC!

Hi All!

Hope everyone has had a restful and fun weekend. Just wanted to hop on here and talk about what we have worked on the past week in my classroom. Peer mentors have been working with students on vocational skills. We have done a focus on what types of jobs and goals best fit our strengths and interests, as well as resume writing, interviewing skills, and how to self-advocate in the workplace. I use the transition passport from Unique learning for a lot of my transition/vocational instruction. Students tend to be more engaged when a peer is working with them on this verses just the adults in the classroom. Peer mentors can share their goals and strengths, which help jumpstart my students' ideas. It is much more motivating when they see their peer mentors working toward post-secondary goals also. 

Hope everyone has an awesome week! God Bless!

Kecia, that warms my heart so much about your student looking forward to the peer tutor coming into class! I swear, peer tutoring unlocks things that we might have never seen before in our classrooms! Keep up the good work!

Hey All! Hope everyone is doing well. We are currently planning our annual Christmas trip. The money that my students raise from the coffee shop business that they run at school goes to fund this trip. They shop for their families, friends and themselves and go out and eat a yummy lunch! It is one of the things that we look forward to most and our peer tutors are an integral part of this planning and execution for the students. Let me known what holiday activities you all have planned!

Hello, my name is Esther Wright.  I teach at Pike Central in the Life Management Classrooms.  I wanted to let you know that I have finally made it here to reply.  It is a blessing to be a part of this program.  I have some great leaders and l look forward to doing great things with these students.  I was honored to work with the best.   I am so sorry that I am sending this in so late, but now that I am getting started, now we can begin.  Here is a picture of the whole group that attended the Griffith Farm in October.  I will be sending more.  I Love my students and classroom and most important the grace of God that led me to these fine students. I want to wish everyone the best for now and in the future with the success that has brought us this far.  Thank you for this opportunity. 

Since piloting the peer tutor program in Pike County in 1989, I am amazed anew every year at the significant changes made in the lives of our Life Management students by the interactions, modeling, and just pure friendship intrinsic to this awesome adventure! Attendance improves, participation improves, on task behaviors improve and attending to personal presentation of our exceptional needs students improves in the presence of their cool new friends! An additional benefit of the program is in the enrichment of the lives of the peer tutors themselves. We are looking forward to many more activities in and beyond the classrooms!

@sara-scottknott-kyschools-us So glad to hear that you feel it is not only important but necessary for 'our' students' program to include vocational aspects. Everyone wants to be praised and completing tasks in this field opens so many ways for them to feel useful and necessary. Pointing out their strengths and guiding them to areas of their greatest potential is beneficial to their daily mindset as well as future explorations. Peer tutors can be viewed as coworkers by our students.

Hope everyone is doing good and staying healthy.  We have really been going through it here at KCC with the flu and our whole district really. In other news, those of us that stayed healthy have been enjoying the holiday seasons and the activities that go with it. Next Friday we will be taking our peer tutors and students on our annual Christmas shopping trip.

Hello, my name is Braden Jarvis and I love being a part of this wonderful program. I believe this program is not only very helpful for myself as it helps me be more responsible as a young adult but I also believe it very much so helps the children we as peer tutors try to help. Dr. Will is also a crucial part of our success in the peer mentor program as he is a very charismatic but also professional leader in our program.

Hello, my name is Jaylan Rigdon. I am a Junior at Pike county central high school.  And i really like doing this because i get to help them out with anything they need, i have been helping Mrs.Wright since around October and it is now January i have really really liked doing it this year and i would love to do it next year if i can. But one of my favorite parts is when they get the answers right and they all get happy and thats the best part about it.  And i cant wait to see how much they grow from since i have first started to the end of the school year.  

Hello, I am Larra Jones from Pike County Central High School. I have been a peer tutor with the life management class. This opportunity has been a blessing for me. I love working with the special education students everyday. I love seeing them everyday, it really brightens my day. I have always wanted to work with children and help others. I enjoy the feeling of helping students learn. I would like to thank Dr. Will for giving us this opportunity and being a great role model. 

I attend at Pike County Central High School, My name is Mallory Lester and I am apart of the life management and i have enjoyed every minute of it. I love their excitement when we work together. Everyday, i love being in this class and having the opportunity to be here and help all I can. I want to thank Dr.Will for giving us this chance to work with these students.