Peer Academic Leader Overview
WHAT is it and WHY have it?
The Peer Academic Leaders, or P.A.L.s, system is designed to give support to students enrolled
in rigorous core classes. The intent of the system is to provide students in such classes with a peer who
has already taken the class and excelled to be an additional resource to promote note taking skills,
higher-order thinking and insights into how to succeed within the given rigorous course.
Students acting as P.A.L.s are enrolled as a teacher assistant, but do not function as traditional
teacher aides. Rather, P.A.L.s act as peers to the other students. They are to model positive classroom
behavior, take notes, and participate in classroom discussions as other students would do.
P.A.L.s organize out of class online and face-to face study and review sessions. The P.A.L.s
schedule and conduct study and review sessions to best accommodate their peers in order to review
notes, prepare for tests and quizzes, and help students discover and develop the skills needed to
participate and succeed within the classroom.
How do you fit in?
You will never be expected to:
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provide discussion, study or review material. P.A.L. will create this material.
babysit tutor in or out of class. P.A.L. will participate as the other students in class.
design work plan for tutor. P.A.L. will do this with assistance from P.A.L. Coordinator.
participate in study sessions, although you may do so if you would like.
We would like your assistance in:
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providing time for PALs to recruit for study/review sessions.
providing time for students to sign up for PAL’s EdModo site.
allowing students to take our PAL assessment surveys mid- and end-semester.
gathering grade data at three points during the semester; beginning, middle, and end.
What is our role as P.A.L. Coordinators?
We will always be expected to:
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communicate regularly with P.A.L.s to offer suggestions for everything from behavior
management and participation to format of curriculum and study session topics.
train P.A.L.s in proper communication and etiquette.
offer support to both P.A.L.s and teachers in regards to the Peer Academic Leaders system.
Peer Academic Leader Overview
OBJECTIVES:
To provide students with organized sessions, either online or face-to-face, in order to enhance subject
understanding and subject-based test scores
To promote higher-order questioning and critical thinking skills
To create a sense of partnership between grade levels
To encourage college and career readiness
To promote leadership skills in students