Purpose of the START LINK
THINK TANK
Increase the Implementation of Peer
to Peer Support Programs Across the
State of Michigan
Purpose of the Minute to Win It
Competition
• Model fun needed in Peer to Peer Support Programs
• Scoreboard Creates Synergy Amongst Peers
• Creates Cooperative Experience between people that
don’t know each other
• Common Theme
• A role for a Student with ASD within the competition
Minute to Win It Games
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•
•
•
2 games today!
2 players - each game - each table!
Prizes for the winners!!!!
Support your table!
Q1: Was your participation in the LINK Think
Tank Summer Institute valuable and energizing?
Q2: Did you walk away from the Summer
Institute with ideas that you can use to improve
your peer to peer support program?
Q4: For any future Peer to Peer Summer
Institutes, would you prefer a 1-day or 2-day
format?
Q6: Was the size of the group (40 were invited)
beneficial to your learning?
Q7: What is the ideal location for a
future Summer Institute?
Q9: Would you like to meet with this
group again next year?
Q10: Would you like to have ongoing communication
with this group via an online format?
Link Think Tank
Elementary/High School
Lisa Carruthers
Troy School District
Third Grade Teacher
General Education
Teacher
16 Years (all gen. ed.)
2nd year with P2P
Jean DeBruyn
Fraser Schools
Cross Categorical SelfContained Resource
Room Teacher
18 years (gen. ed. & special ed.
teacher)
8th year
with P2P
Our journey began with ONE!
We ventured through the school year
with some highs and lows.
Tips to Remember :
We tackled each week
TOGETHER knowing
we were “linked”
Lisa Carruthers
3rd Grade (former 5th grade teacher)
Keep it simple
Keep it do-able
Keep it REAL!
Leonard Elementary School
Troy, MI
Our Story…
T.E.A.M. Time
•
Together Everyone Achieves More
29 third grade students with
GOT 20 MINUTES?
various needs that include:
General Education Classroom
– English Language Learners
(5) – 2 of which are new to
the country
– Reading Support (6)
– Support Services such as
occupational therapy,
teacher consultant, social
work, etc. (4)
– ASD (1)
***TRAINING***
•Life changing
experiences happen in an
instant!
•Peer to Peer
programming CHANGES
LIVES!
•Teaching tolerance,
understanding, patience,
and more through the
lens of a peer group!
•Amazing things happen!
Go SLOW to go FAST!
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
•Leonard Elementary School
•1 Third Grade class, ALL of 4th Grade, and in process of ALL of 5th
grade P2P programming by end of November
•Conversations about P2P with 6 out of 12 elementary schools
•2 out of 4 middle school buildings implement Peer to Peer at some
level
•Both high schools implement Peer to Peer
•Lots of START training currently and over the years
•MORE TO COME!
Fraser P2P – Our Journey Started a
bit LARGER!
Nine years ago, after going through intensive training, Fraser High School was
where we knew we needed to be. Crazy? YES! Doable? YES, YES, YES!!!
What is Peer 2 Peer?
Peer 2 Peer is a social program designed to bring awareness
and understanding about autism to Fraser High
School. Being a member of Peer to Peer means being a
friend to someone on the autistic spectrum
and supporting them throughout high school.
Development of P2P at FHS
Continual support from:
•Administration and Board of Education (approved P2P seminars and
common planning time)
•Parents
•MISD (training of staff)
•FHS teachers (supporting use of peer buddies in the classroom)
Where are we now?
*We have a peer support group in our middle school, in all 6 elementary
schools, and peer to peer activities in our early childhood center.
*Some of our elementary groups started a lot like Lisa’s did – find one
child that needs the support and build a group around that child.
*Other elementary groups were formed at certain grade levels that
needed them.
*Two of our elementary schools now have school-wide peer to peer
support!
How did we do it?
*We stuck together!
*We believed it could & must be done!
*We followed the kids!
*We trusted each other and our students!
*We knew lives would be changed!
Paul is the
Homecoming
King!
Lives
Changed!
LINK THINK TANK
BOTTOM LINE
No matter your job title…
No matter general or special ed…
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
BE THE GAME CHANGER!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
This process experiences may include…
LINK
what a Link is really about!
TANK
…like being a fish
out of water!
THINK
reflecting, learning, and
THINKing about life
through a new lens!
the gamut of
emotions…
remembering
to breathe!
feeling like WE
could do anything?
falling in love over and
over, and over again!
Most of all…
BE the Power of…
…MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
What is a LINK?
• A friend.
• A leader.
• A peer support.
“I have been able to connect with new people
and make friends. It changed my ways of
seeing things. It made me want to reach out
and be a part of interacting with new people.
It has been an amazing experience!”
What do LINKS do?
• Learn about a variety of disabilities.
• Work as a team to problem-solve.
• Make a difference.
“LINKS has truly been a great experience! I’m
so glad that I joined this program. I’ve made a lot of
new friends and I really got to know my link. It feels
great to make a difference in somebody’s life.”
Why does LINKS need you?
LINKS needs you to
make a difference
through . . .
Community Awareness
Role Modeling
Team Building
Case Conferences
Extra curricular activities
Staff Education