Peer relationship & Learning: Helping our students make the right friends
By Thomas Brouillard
EDI 17 Psychology & Development of Adolescent Students
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
February 27, 2009
Today’s class was very creative and interesting. I liked the class assignment that we participated in. The “graffiti” activity was very fun and unique. We were each placed into different groups and had to answer one question listened. Then after time was up we were given a different group’s graffiti paper and had to add to it. I think this worked very well in showing how the class had both common and different opinions to each question asked.
This was a perfect example of thinking outside the box in the classroom. While at first it seemed a little crazy, the activity got everyone motivated to speak and voice their opinions, some of which were very creative. As a teacher this is the type of environment and reaction you want to get from your students. It was a great way to show how far creativity can go in the classroom while getting the day’s theme across to the class.
This lesson also helped steer us into an important aspect of the classroom, peer relations. During this activity we had to work with each other, and it helps you become more comfortable with the classmates you may not know as well. With adolescents it is always important to promote strong peer relations. That doesn’t always mean pairing students with their friends. Sometimes it is good to separate them from their normal group and help them make new friends and branch out.
When I was an adolescent in high school I was lucky to have many different friends. I was not necessarily in the stereotypical “popular group” but I had friends in many different groups.
In the beginning I would tend to stay within my circle of best friends, but as I got older I branched out more and that helped my social and maturity growth. When I was in high school though I had one group that I felt most connected with. We were all on a sports team together, and for most of those in the group, my friendship with them dated back well before high school. I still consider these three-four friends my best friends to this day. Some people lose contact with their friends from high school, but not me. We always had a lot in common and we all have been through a lot together, so it doesn’t surprise me that we are still close.
Although today when I see people I went to high school with and was not friends with at that time, we usually say hello and have a nice conversation, where as in high school we would pass each other in the hallway like the other person wasn’t even there. This doesn’t surprise me because as people mature they are more comfortable branching out. This is why I believe it is important for teachers to help improve relations among their students, the more friends they make, the faster they mature and the more they grow into an adult.
Long Island University, C. W. Post
February 27, 2009
Today’s class was very creative and interesting. I liked the class assignment that we participated in. The “graffiti” activity was very fun and unique. We were each placed into different groups and had to answer one question listened. Then after time was up we were given a different group’s graffiti paper and had to add to it. I think this worked very well in showing how the class had both common and different opinions to each question asked.
This was a perfect example of thinking outside the box in the classroom. While at first it seemed a little crazy, the activity got everyone motivated to speak and voice their opinions, some of which were very creative. As a teacher this is the type of environment and reaction you want to get from your students. It was a great way to show how far creativity can go in the classroom while getting the day’s theme across to the class.
This lesson also helped steer us into an important aspect of the classroom, peer relations. During this activity we had to work with each other, and it helps you become more comfortable with the classmates you may not know as well. With adolescents it is always important to promote strong peer relations. That doesn’t always mean pairing students with their friends. Sometimes it is good to separate them from their normal group and help them make new friends and branch out.
When I was an adolescent in high school I was lucky to have many different friends. I was not necessarily in the stereotypical “popular group” but I had friends in many different groups.
In the beginning I would tend to stay within my circle of best friends, but as I got older I branched out more and that helped my social and maturity growth. When I was in high school though I had one group that I felt most connected with. We were all on a sports team together, and for most of those in the group, my friendship with them dated back well before high school. I still consider these three-four friends my best friends to this day. Some people lose contact with their friends from high school, but not me. We always had a lot in common and we all have been through a lot together, so it doesn’t surprise me that we are still close.
Although today when I see people I went to high school with and was not friends with at that time, we usually say hello and have a nice conversation, where as in high school we would pass each other in the hallway like the other person wasn’t even there. This doesn’t surprise me because as people mature they are more comfortable branching out. This is why I believe it is important for teachers to help improve relations among their students, the more friends they make, the faster they mature and the more they grow into an adult.
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