Buddy System/Mentor Program

Lunch and recess can be difficult periods for some students with learning differences as well as new students arriving at a school. Their anxiety/stress levels may increase due to:

• the unknown of what they may expect on the playground
  
• not knowing their way around the new school
  
• not been fluent in that language spoken at the school (ESL students)
• high energy levels which they don't know how to harness effectively
• lack of communication skills to make contact with others
• lack of social skills thus not able to approach other children.

This can lead to either negative behavior, social isolation or complete shut down. In such instances applying the buddy system/mentor program may be very helpful. This involves the teacher choosing a student/s in the class to look out for and be friends with the student who is isolated/alone/new.

It's vital that the teacher address the entire class about everyone's strengths and weaknesses, the feeling of being new at a school and how some students are shy and unable to initiate play on their own. Emphasis should also be placed on the importance of helping one another out and providing support to all students. When choosing students for the buddy system/mentor program keep in mind:

• the student you choose to be a mentor should be willing to take on that role
• the mentor is able to motivate, reinforce and initiate play with the student in need
• that both mentor and student compromise and share what activities/games can be played during recess time
• that the mentor take the new student on a tour around the school to show them classes, playground area, lunch room etc
• to provide the buddy with a reward/certificate stating what a good role model they were
• that the mentor take into account the difficulties of the student and when needed give the student time to be on their own
• that the mentor can change so as to not burden the mentor to feel obligated to be with the student all the time

Do you have any other ideas of how to help students with social difficulties play at recess? Please share as I am sure this is a problem in most schools, thank you-Angelik!