80 Peer Mentors signed up for next year!!

In the past five days I have had streams of WMS students entering my classroom to sign up for the peer mentor program. As they slowly creep around the corner, they look nervous, excited, and wide eyed. It is what I had always hoped that would had happen when this class was started. Kids being open to differences, to this class being the "cool" class to take. My heart is soaring and happy.

Over 80 6th and 7th graders have signed up to work in our classroom next year!

What does this show us?

1. That kids are interested in working with special education students when given the chance. (We are going to build an army of future special education teachers for Olympia School District)

2. That this program has become accepted within our school both with students and staff and that the culture has shifted to focus on acceptance of all.

3. That I need to figure out how to grow what I'm doing so that more students in more schools and districts have this opportunity.

4. And that I need to get planning for next year :).

I look forward to the journey the next year will hold and the connections my students will build. By the time the incoming 6th graders leave my program they will have gotten to know 240 different students. What an amazing natural network of support to send them off to high school with.

Every special education student should be integrated with their peers.