Teachers, why do you get kids in class to teach others?

Question

My child is regularly (every day, for one or more lessons) put with a remedial boy to help him with his work. I worry whether my child is missing out on his own work (the class is setted, and the work this child needs help with is of a much lower level), and perhaps he should not be used in this way.

I worry that the teacher is not working my son to his full ability - but letting him cruise a bit!! and getting an easy life in the process. The other boy is lovely - they are mates in the playground - but I am uncomfortable with my son being used in this way.

Am I worrying over nothing? Why would a teacher use another pupil in this way?

Answer 1

The first thing I would like to point out is (I work with students over 16 but some of them still behave like children at times) that I don't 'get kids in class to teach others', as the teaching is my job! However, I often (but not all the time in every single lesson), ask the stronger students to help the weaker ones for the following reasons:

1. Sometimes, students find it easier to understand things if they are explained by another student rather than by me.

2. If a student's work is of such a high standard (e.g. full marks on an essay questions) that it would benefit the others to understand how and why the student achieved that standard.

3. To stop the more capable students from sitting around with nothing to do (after completing extension tasks). By explaining things to a less capable student, it encourages him/her to revise what they already know by explaining it.

4. By encouraging the students to work together and talk to each other, I'm making the lesson more student centred (i.e.getting the students to think for themselves and carry out activities) rather than teacher led (i.e. just lecturing them or dictating notes to them or getting them to copy out of text books).

5. It encourages the capable students to further develop their reasoning, evaluation and analytical skills because they have to explain how and why they got to a particular answer or back up what they say with examples or evidence, so that other members of the class understand it.

6. It gives all students the confidence to contribute to whole class discussions because the conflab with the other student at the higher/lower level has given them support or reassurance that their answers could be correct.

However, I share your concern about doing this too often because as you said, it could encourage capable students to lower their standards (either due to laziness or frustration at carrying another student over all the time), or encourage the lower level student to depend on others to get things done, rather than thinking for his/herself. This is why, I also encourage the more able students to work together, so that they can bounce ideas off each other and thus improve the quality of their work even more (so far, this method seems to be working as their essay marks are now of a very good standard). If there is any evidence that your son is putting less effort into his work, or is having trouble understanding things that he previously did well at, or isn't working to the same standards that he was before, or he moans about helping others, then I suggest that you make an appointment to see his teachers and express your concerns.

Hope this answer helps!

Good luck!

PS. You're not worrying over nothing. You're his mother and want him to do well in the future. In today's competitive world, that certainly isn't 'nothing'!

Answer 2

Hi I am a student teacher - from experiences in school i have seen this happen a lot at first i held the same views as you, surely it is not fair on the child to have to act as the teacher to other pupils? but after discussing this matter with class teachers my view has since changed.

By your son playing this role not only does it benefit the child he is helping but also your son as well. Children are often better at explaining things in a way that children understand than adults therefore by your child explaining how the tasks are done, the child he is helping is going to gain a better understanding than the one he has now. Your child is reinforcing the learning that he has done and therefore is more likely to remember it, also by changing the explanation that he was given by the teacher into his own words is also an added beneift of learning - just like in later life when you take your own notes it is better to put them into your own words rather than just copying the text

However although this is benefitting your son i do feel that there is only so much he can do. Maybe doing this once or twice a week would benefit your son but being left to do this every day may not be so positive because as you say this is not pushing your son. Many teachers often see the bright chldren achieving the appropriate levels and then leave them there. I feel it is important for a child to continue using what they have learnt and applying it to new things for example if a child can add 10 onto a number they should then be pushed a little further ie use the skill of adding 10 to number to help to add 12 eg 3 + 10 = 13 + 2more = 15

If you are really worried about this and feel your son deserves more you should speak to your sons teacher and just ask in a polite way their reasoning for them using your son for such things? and then let them know that you dont mind your son being helpful but you would rather it wasnt so frequent and your son was given the chance to develop new skills during this time rather than repeating work he has allready done to the appropriate level.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

I guess I have a schizophrenic answer - No and Yes! No - your child, if he is capable of moving forward to the next level in math, should NOT be held back so that he can teach others! That being said, and since you have him in a private school, I'm going to have to assume that you will have some right to sit down with the powers in the school to discuss your disagreement with the new principal's idea for your son and his lesser performing classmates. Yes, your child should have an opportunity to help other students in more of a tutoring situation. The reason I say this is that I noticed when my son was in private school, that there were times when a teacher was trying to get a point across and somehow my son 'got it' before other children. Sometimes when that happen, and Joey understood where the teacher was going on a subject, and the other kids didn't - he would actually raise his hand and state: "Oh, you mean that.....blah, blah, blah" and with HIS explanation, the teacher would see that all the other kids would "get it" because of his explanation! So, you can see that sometimes a child can communicate a concept to another child in a way that a teacher can't! That's all good. So if you have the kind of kid who is capable of doing that and he is kind and not bullish or haughty because he's 'smarter' -- well, he could be a good mentor to help others who are having a tougher time. So, yes and no is my answer -- Your child should be going ahead to learn beyond his 2nd grade math and the school should make that happen for him...And your son should have a limited opportunity to sit with other students to help them where time permits! Perhaps you could broker a deal to figure out how to make this happen! It seems to me it should be doable in a private school setting!

Answer 4

Firstly, I would advise you to speak to your child's teacher about this. Don't worry about coming accross as a difficult parent - the teacher will understand that you have concerns for your own child & you can simply ask what the teacher's reasons/incentives are for doing this.
However, I doubt that the teacher is 'using' your child for an easier life. Often, teachers will pair up children of different ability because, not only does it help the child of lower ability, but it also helps the more advanced child by reinforcing his/her own learning (kind of like a revision process). Peer work can be very effective because children can connect with one another in a way teachers and pupils often cannot. Your son will benefit from this because he is developing his skills at explaining and communicating what he has learnt. His teacher probably feels as though your son knows this material and can therefore help his friend.
But if you do feel that he is missing out on things, DO speak to his teacher and express your concerns - at the end of the day, it is your child's education at stake and you have every right to be concerned.

Answer 5

My guess is because some children learn better from their peers. As for your child missing something during the lesson, I really doubt it if the teacher goes over the work before they are given assignments. You see your child as average but the maybe the teacher sees more and in the process is challenging him by having him another student to understand what he knows.
I wouldn't say that it's nothing, it is a perfect question especially if you feel your child doesn't understand the assignments. Yes, teachers will use children to help get their points across to the whole class. It also works on developing social skills that are needed to function in today's society.

Answer 6

Some students comprehend better if they are able to work with a partner at some point during the lesson. Teachers tend to make some students nervous when they assist them one on one. Being able to work with a peer who is at a higher level puts them at ease and they are able to ask them questions or tell them what they don't understand. If the higher level student can't assist the lower student, he will be most likely to call on the teacher for help. It will help your child even more because he is able to use the skill he's mastered. It is always good to know that a child can demonstrate what he's learned in different ways, not just when it is time to take a test. His teacher should also try to find activities that challenges him.

Answer 7

i'm 34 now but as a child i was quite advanced in my class (particularly in reading and writing) because my mother would not allow me to be put into an older class for social reasons. My teacher, for 3 years made me mark all of the other children's reading, writing and comprehension work. i would sit in the corner and they would have to come to me for marking while my teacher did god knows what at her desk and i basically as you say, cruised.
if your son has an opportunity to get teaching in a higher class perhaps suggest he would benefit from going into another class for classes he is advanced in, or I would speak to the teacher directly and explain your concerns in a nice way.
its only natural you should want your son to be working to his full ability and it's your right as a parent to speak out if you feel his education is not at the right level. I look back with sadness on those times at school as i was so incredibly bored and could have been advanced so much more had my mother let me go into a different class for some lessons. I was only 11.

Answer 8

I used to be regularly sat with the least able child in the class and my daughter is often asked to help another child in her class.

Children need to learn more in class than just maths, English and science. By teaching others, they learn to empathize, communicate in a variety of ways, lead and work as part of a team. Your son will be learning a huge amount of things he needs to know in the real world and he will also be consolidating his own subject knowledge.

Personally I never felt that I missed out by helping other pupils and I applaud a more holistic approach to education. I think your teacher must have a lot of faith in your son's ability to learn and feels that in this way he will broaden his learning.

Answer 9

It is a learning strategy used across the world- your son is learning by having to repeat the lesson in a way that a less able child can understand, and probably forced to explain it 2 or 3 ways. Either the teacher thinks highly of your son and feels he is a good role model, or she feels he could use some work as well and puts them together so they can think together- it's a big self esteem boost. Don't worry about it- the teacher knows when and for how long your son can take it!

Answer 10

You may indeed be worrying over nothing; according to Vigotski's "Zone of Proximal Development" theory, kids can learn a lot from "significant others" such as teachers, parents or peers - like your son.
This is not something I'm saying because I've read it but every time I've had to explain something to someone else, I've benefited tremendously; somehow the experience let me push my "zone of proximal development". I'm quite sure your son is learning quite as much as his mate - perhaps even more. Anyway, as some of the above answers suggested, you can always clarify your doubts with the teacher.