Students do not only have problems with their academic performances. These are not and should not be the only concern of students, their parents, and their teachers if they are to be totally successful individuals in all aspects of their lives. One major concern they should also learn in school is building peer skills.
Peer interaction problems can add to a school chaotic, loud, unpleasant or unsafe environment. While it is true that there are no quick solution to this problem, considering that every student is a unique individual and personality, there are ways you can do to help the students build relationship skills.
Bear in mind that the more creative you are in your methods, adding some humor into it even can be very effective in achieving peer skills or repairing poor ones. You can experiment and rely on methods that capture the defiant, oppositional, depressed, reserved and disobedient student off-guard and impressively connect them in learning despite themselves.
Find interventions that are fun and offers benefits. Here is one fun multiple choice quiz permitted to be printed out for use with students.
Who You Gonna Call? Gropes Busters! The Gropes-Busters Quiz
1. When standing near other kids, it is very important to stand: a) Nose to nose b) On their toes c) About one arm length away
2. When other students say “No,” it really means: a) “Yes” with an attitude b) The “n” and “o” are silent c) Stop!
3. When touching others, a guideline to follow is: a) Grope first, ask second b) Ask first, grope second c) Ask first and comply with the answer
4. When watching pro sports like football and hockey, it is important to remember that a) Slapping people’s backsides is a universal greeting b) Violent contact is welcomed everywhere c) No one should ever behave as badly as misbehaved pro athletes
5. When touching others, it is always best to a) Never touch anything labeled “radioactive” b) Never touch anything you can’t reach c) Never touch until receiving permission first
Looking deeply into the questions, you will find that they are meant to make a student think and re-think about his/her peer social skills and improve it.
By: Charito R. Balagasay | Teacher III | Pilar Elementary School | Pilar, Bataan
