Recruitment

The purpose of recruitment is to actively find students to be part of your classroom or school’s Peer to Peer program. ALL students must have the opportunity to be peer partners. Historically, the practice of recruiting students with a specific social and academic profile has been commonplace. While honor roll students, athletes, and other established student leaders can be wonderful LINKs, it is critical to have a broader view. Seek out and include ALL students, including those who may be considered behaviorally, socially, and/or academically “at risk.” These students absolutely have the capacity to be amazing peers and will rise to meet high expectations. Additionally, unintended benefits including fewer behavioral reports, improved attendance, and increased academic successes have been documented. Peer to Peer may just be the “one thing” for these LINKs as well. There are no prerequisites for Peer to Peer.

In the early stages of your program, students may be unaware of Peer to Peer, so your team may need to provide information to students, teachers, and families. Your ultimate goal is to find students who are interested in participating. Below are several options and examples for recruitment.

Plan for Recruiting Students

Discuss with your team your plan for recruiting students to join Peer to Peer. You will also want to determine the ages of students (same age or cross-age) you need to recruit. 

Same-age Peers: 

The most common approach is to recruit students from the same class as the student with the IEP. This simplifies planning and fosters opportunities for developing friendships within the same classroom. It can also be beneficial to recruit same-age students from other classes who can participate during lunch and recess, increasing peer connections beyond the classroom.

Cross-age Peers: 

There may be times when it is possible to create peer partnerships between a student with an IEP (focus student) and an older LINK peer partner student. Older peers may have experience with Peer to Peer, be more confident if dysregulation occurs, and are uniquely able to facilitate connections between the student with an IEP and their classroom peers. 

Older peer partner students can participate in a variety of settings including general and special education classrooms, special classes, as well as lunch and recess. Some examples of cross-age support are: an 8th grade LINK with a 3rd grade student at recess, a 4th grade LINK with a kindergarten student during arrival and morning work, and a high school LINK with a 1st grade student during math and lunch. Although cross-age peer support arrangements may initially be considered as a way to meet a need or create an opportunity, maintaining a participation mindset is essential.

Why Cross-age Peer to Peer is Important

• Students often enjoy learning from each other more than from adults.

• Older students are often seen as more relatable than teachers.

• Younger students benefit from having a more experienced or mature peer to look up to.

• Older students can model both academic skills and positive social behavior.

• Peer partners can show classroom peers how to engage with students who have IEPs in inclusive and respectful ways.

• Classroom peers see the LINK peer partner’s interactions modeled and are more likely to join in; helping expand friendships.

Participation Model Reminders:

• A “Participation Model” mindset must be maintained.

• The goal remains the same: all students engage in shared activities in a reciprocal manner.

• Peer to Peer is about friendships, not about having students acting as mini-teachers.

Examples for Participation in Instructional Settings:

• The peer partner and focus student has the same worksheet and/or materials and work at the same time.

• The peer partner and focus student share a worksheet and/or materials, taking turns to complete the task.

• The peer partner and focus student participate together in a number or letter/word scavenger hunt in the hallway.

Examples for in Non-Instructional Settings

• The peer partner and focus student eat lunch together with classroom peers.

• The peer partner and focus student play at recess together and invite other classmates to join.

• The peer partner and focus student go to art together and create individual or shared artwork alongside classmates.

Considerations

• Be mindful of seating arrangements. Sitting next to each other rather than across the table from one another is participatory and less instructional.

• Focus on how interactions can be a "with" or a "together” rather than a “for.”

• Remember the LINK peer partner is not the classroom teacher or a paraprofessional.

• Encourage the LINK to create connections between the focus student and the focus student’s classroom peers.

• Complete regular check-ins with LINK and adults to ensure that everyone is comfortable and has a shared vision.

Use this slide deck for teaching LINK peer partners about their role as a cross-age peer

• Cross-age: Building Connections with Younger Students 

Consider Ideas for Recruiting Students

• General Education, Special Education teachers, and/or Ancillary Staff (school social worker, speech language pathologist, OT, etc.) speak to the class.

  • Elementary Recruitment Slides

• Hold grade level assemblies

• Lunch Informational Booths

• Students create posters to display in hallways

• Utilize Self Advocacy Presentations

  • The following examples were developed with a student and a family. They are personalized to them. We encourage these to be co-constructed with students/families:

    • Self Advocacy Slides - All About Me - Example 1

    • Self Advocacy Slides - Example 2

Develop a Brochure

Develop a brochure describing the Peer to Peer program. This brochure must include the purpose of Peer to Peer, the names and contact information of program leaders, and the reciprocal benefits of Peer to Peer. 

• Brochure Template

Design a Permission Slip

Design a permission slip if one was not included in the brochure, a permission slip must be developed, If the peer partner leaves the classroom or curriculum. Each student participating in Peer to Peer must have permission signed by their parent(s)/guardian(s).

• Focus Student-Elementary Peer to Peer Permission Slip

• LINKS/Peer Partner Permission Slip