The Peer Learning Assistance is a program that seeks to help 9th and 10th-grade students with subjects they struggle in. As an 11th-grade student, I had the opportunity to volunteer in this program. I decided to provide help in English and was allotted a student for the same.

LO1: Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

This was my first time participating in something that required teaching. Having no experience was scary in the beginning. I knew my strength was communication so I took that as an advantage. The first few sessions with the student were a little awkward because I was still trying to understand their syllabus but eventually I was able to help them out and use my communication skills effectively.

LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process 

It was challenging to arrange weekly meetings with the student because we were both pretty busy and weren’t able to find a common free slot. We tried arranging meetings in the school but that didn’t work out either. I made use of my self-management skills and prioritized the student when they needed me. Instead of having in-person meetings, I arranged online meetings and provided them with materials when I couldn’t help them. This way, I could improve my organization and help the student while completing my work.

LO3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience

Since this was completely new to me, I had to create a weekly plan of how I was going to guide the student and help them out in English. I started out by understanding their syllabus and where they were facing difficulties. We were provided with some resources but I chose to use some of my own as I found them more convenient and easy to understand. I would plan one or two weekly sessions to track the student’s progress and help them accordingly. 

LO 4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

Being committed was very difficult for me because I wasn’t able to give much time to this program due to my assignments and submissions. I remembered that it was my responsibility to help the student out with their weaknesses and that became a driving force for me. I showed perseverance in this program by organizing myself and making the student a priority. My commitment made me realize that their success would make me very proud.

Evidence: