The Learning Hub

Peer Coaching is Born in the 1st Grade

Kendra Limback is a 1st grade teacher in Iowa and can be found on Twitter at @KendraLimback.

When I set out to use Write About This, I wasn’t looking to set up any peer coaching. In true classroom fashion, it just happened.

To reach one student in particular, I made him the expert on the application. He is a smart, capable writer, who needed motivation to write. The very first day, a friend sat down next to him to write. Not only were they covering topics and how to use the app; one child was giving the other child a mini lesson on how to use punctuation at the end of a sentence! At this moment, peer coaching in my classroom was born.

tweet

(What else would you do but jump up and send out a tweet when things are going so well?)

The children have come together and helped each other as writers in ways that I couldn’t even imagine when they started helping each other.

kids

Above is an example of more coaching. They are learning the ins and outs of the app, having a conversation about stamina in writing, and how you have to keep writing.

Using Write About This has not only unleashed new confidence in these young writers but also has brought about this unexpected, but very welcome, peer coaching outcome.

 

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