Laws of Life Peer-to-Peer Leadership Program (a.k.a. ‘Leaders of Today’) in Maxson Middle School: 2004-5
Sarah Parker, Jennifer Rosenblatt, Maurice Elias
What has been accomplished this academic year?
- Created written curriculum and materials for training peer leaders and implementing program and sent to Maxson program coordinator
- Implemented program in one middle school (Maxson)
o Created and disseminated applications for peer leader positions and selected qualified applicants to be peer leaders
§ Application forms available from Augustine Douglas, Maxson Middle School
o Delivered three-week, 12-lesson, after-school mini-course to approximately 15 peer leaders
§ Curriculum and related materials available from Rutgers SEL team or from Augustine Douglas, Maxson Middle School
o Recruited sixth-grade participants through nominations by teaching, counseling, and other school personnel
o Coordinated and supervised weekly meetings between peer leaders and two or three sixth-grade participants for approximately one month (from late April until late May)
§ Attendance and feedback forms to support this process available from Rutgers SEL team
o Facilitated interactions between sixth-graders and peer leaders by running ice-breaker and trust-building games, in addition to helping them work on goal-setting contracts
§ Ideas and details about games available from Rutgers SEL team
- Sought and compiled feedback from participants, peer leaders, and adult facilitators and staff in order to improve program for future years
o Final feedback document available from Rutgers SEL team
o Feedback forms for future use also available from Rutgers SEL team
What aims are recommended for the following academic year?
- Program implementation in both middle schools (Maxson & Hubbard)
- Identification of program coordinators in each school
- Identification of teaching staff/program facilitators in each school
- Implementation of program earlier in year so students have more time to build the relationships required for effective peer counseling and leadership
- Consideration of other suggested program improvements (these are listed in a final feedback document available from Rutgers SEL team; they include longer meeting times, one-to-one meetings, different recruitment criteria for sixth-graders, meeting times that do not overlap with lunchtime or class time)
Continue to seek feedback from program participants and school personnel for sustained improvement