Assign a Buddy/Partner or Mentor

Assign a Buddy/Partner or Mentor

Assigning a buddy/partner or mentor in the classroom and around the school provides support to students from peers. It fosters positive relationships and models appropriate behaviour.

• Increases student responsibility and accountability

• Increases student buy-in

• Helps students to focus and stay on task

• Decreases challenges to authority

• Lowers stress, intimidation, and anxiety levels for students

• Helps students get answers and clarification to directions quickly and more frequently

When?

• When a student is easily distracted and is frequently losing focus

• When a student needs a little extra help or guidance with tasks

• When a student has trouble with organization, getting things out, putting things away, etc.

• When a student is overly shy, timid, or non-responsive to adults and teachers

• When a student has trouble working independently

• When a student is being picked on

• When a student seems withdrawn or isolated

• When a student is new to a school

How?

• Choose a buddy or partner that will serve as a good role model

• Talk in private with the student that will serve as the role model about what you would like them to do and why you are partnering them up

• Talk in private with the student who needs the partner or buddy, explaining that they will be partnered up with another student and why

• Speak with the two students together and explain the purpose of putting them together and be clear with your expectations

Visual Supports

Note: You need the BoardMaker disc in the CD/DVD Rom Drive to use the BoardMaker files below.