Creating a Networking Wall to Balance Student Strengths and Struggles

Did you know?

There is a close connection between the classroom environment and student engagement and motivation (Ryan & Patrick, 2001). These effects were most evident when students are encouraged to work collaboratively with peers, believe their ideas are valued and their teachers care, and when they are not publicly compared with their classmates.

Peer support arrangements can improve the behavioral, academic, and social performance of targeted students (Janney & Snell, 2006; Quigley, 2004).

There is value in nurturing a positive peer culture in working with even the most challenging students. This approach should redirect peer influence, build mutual trust, and encourage students to collaborate in solving problems (Brendtro, Mitchell, & McCall, 2007).

"Kids need to know themselves, and they need to know what to work on to help themselves. They need and deserve to understand clearly the reasons for any academic problems they are experiencing. Struggling students feel a sense of relief when they have a clear picture of their personal strengths and weaknesses." –Mel Levine, A Mind at a Time

All students bring their own sets of strengths and struggles to the classroom. Some students are strong in math but not very good at English. Others excel at history but have a hard time with science. By creating a networking system in the classroom, students discover how they can maximize their strengths by helping others while seeking support for their struggles.

How you can use a Networking Wall to balance student strengths and struggles

A Networking Wall is a wall of the classroom (perhaps a bulletin board) where students post their strengths and can seek help with their struggles. It shows students that everyone has something they can contribute to learning. Students discover how to collaborate and rely on someone other than the teacher when they know they can visit the Networking Wall for other resources.

Networking Walls can be built throughout the year or for specific units of study, and can be used for academic as well as social strengths and struggles. The choice is yours.

Here is a way you get started with a Networking Wall in your classroom itself is composed of these three steps:

• Give each student one, two, or three large index cards.
• Have students write their names and one strength on each card. Depending upon grade level and whether you want them to share academic or social subjects, strengths could include anything from “sharing at recess” to “subject/verb agreement” to “geometry proofs.”
• Have them post these Strength Cards on the Networking Wall.
• Give each student one to three additional index cards where they will list one struggle per card. Depending upon grade level and topic, struggles could include anything from “writing in cursive” to “drawing three-dimensional images” to “dates of historic events.”
• Students will return to the Networking Wall and review the strengths that are listed there. The idea is that they will find a person’s name who lists a strength that corresponds to the struggle they have listed.
• Students write down the name of the person who has a strength corresponding to a struggle and what that person can do to help.
• Finally, they can find the person with the strength corresponding to the struggle, ask them to sign the Networking card, and decide upon a time they can work together on the issue.

Brendtro, L. K., Mitchell, M. L., & McCall, H. (2007). Positive peer culture:
Antidote to “peer deviance training.” Reclaiming Children & Youth: The Journal of
Strength-based Interventions, 15(4), 200–206.

Janney, R., & Snell, M. E. (2006). Social relationships and peer support (2nd ed.).
Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Quigley, R. (2004). Positive peer groups: “Helping others” meets primary developmental
needs. Reclaiming Children and Youth: The Journal of Strength-based Interventions,
13(3), 134–137.

Ryan, A. M., & Patrick, H. (2001). The classroom social environment and changes in
adolescents’ motivation and engagement during middle school. American
Educational Research Journal, 38(2), 437–460.

Source: The above tips are based on PLS's graduate course Behavioral, Academic, and Social Interventions for the Classroom™. For more information see "Featured Graduate Course" to the right.

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