Peer Tutors Seek To Change LivesBeing a Peer Tutor at Warsaw Community High School has changed students' lives and perspectives.
"I want to be a special needs teacher when I grow up. I thought it would be a great opportunity to see what it's like," said sophomore Madi Myers of why she became a Peer Tutor. "Not only does Peer Tutoring change your views, it really changes your life."
Junior Andi Frazzetta said, "Probably coming into class each day is a stress reliever because they are so happy. They don't have a care in the world and are enjoying life. It's changed my outlook. More positive."
There are 70 Peer Tutors at the high school. They work with students with special needs in the Students Training for Adult Roles and Responsibilities program. The program teaches the students life skills, and students who complete it can earn a non-diploma certificate of completion.
The Peer Tutors work under four different teachers, including Jennifer Phillips, Holly Fancil, Susan Ferguson and Barb Martz. The students rotate in the teachers' different classes.
Martz said Peer Tutors include athletes and other general education students who have a desire to work with the students with special needs. They get credit for taking the Peer Tutor class, but, Martz said, she wants the general education students to see the special needs students are just like them.
When Martz received her bachelor's degree in elementary education, she never imagined she would be working with students with special needs. Now, she said, she can't imagine doing anything else.
At first, she admitted, she was a bit stand-offish. Now she enjoys her time with them and has learned a lot from them. She wants the general education students to feel and learn the same thing.
"I see people treat them differently because they are different. I don't treat them any differently, I don't baby them. They're people, just with different quirks," said Myers.
Junior Sara Skeans is in her second year of being a Peer Tutor.
"My first year I was really intimidated," Skeans said. "Once you get to know the kids, it becomes second nature. It's become really great. Just seeing their happy faces."
When it comes to being a Peer Tutor, Skeans said, there's two skills students need to have.
She said, "You need to have a lot of patience and understanding how they see things. When you see how they see things, you can help them out more."
