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How to introduce peer to peer learning to youth 7-14yrs?

#1

Has any of you have experience working with little kiddos and how can I introduce them to peer learning among each other?

I am asking because I am in Africa now and my work involves empowering youth and helping with their learning and lifestyle. I’ve attended some of their classes and they are basically copying and pasting what the teachers are writing on the boards and I don’t see it as very effective. The other thing is that among the youngsters the authority and the respect goes to the elders (teachers, mentors, headmasters.)

Also, I am thinking of gamifying the whole process so it is interesting for them. Something like gamified peer to peer learning. If it makes sense.

#2

If you’re in Africa, then I’m near Africa :wink:

But seriously, kids are kids, and school will be school wherever you go.

I guess there are 2 ways you could go about it.

1 is to discover something great to do together. Maybe a brainstorm where they write things they want to get good at on cards, and the sort them according to group interest and priorities.

After a group sort, plan activities around their priorities (Learn to play soccer, riding a bike, drawing, gymnastics, (computer) games, anything). The group discussions of what to do, and how to select is a fun thing. It’s sort of how my kid discoverd that he liked to play the drums.

The 2nd way is to work from things in their environment, and get solving stuff. A friend of mine runs Designathon Works, where they get kids to make imaginative solutions for big challenges in the world, like polution, traffic, jobs, violence, etc. Think of theme to adopt, and then organise a solution making event around it. Kids always think of things without the constraints that grown-ups put to it. Interesting things will come of it.

My only advice is not to call it peer learning. Like with grown-ups, kids won’t be convinced. “Lets learn a soccer trick”, now that’s appealing!

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#3

Got it, thanks for the ideas we are already working on activities that you mentioned such as soccer, bike, drawing, etc. I like the second one! Kids can be very creative in finding solutions for different problems.