Peer Counseling In The Elementary School: Promoting Personal And Academic Growth Through Positive Relationships Thereby Increasing Self-Esteem And Self-Concept
The effects of a peer counseling program on the elementary school level was studied to determine if positive relationships would promote personal and academic growth thereby increasing self-esteem and self-concept. The project was implemented in three phases: selection and training of 15 fourth and fifth grade students, implementation of special projects (i.e., counseling, tutoring, meeters and greeters, big brother/big sister), and evaluation. The 15 students were trained in the areas of facilitative responding, effective listening skills, helping characteristics, problem solving techniques, maintaining positive relationships, awareness of feelings, scheduling, and maintenance of logs. Evaluation included pre and post attitude surveys of students in grades one through five, a pre and post attitude towards other survey (Myrick and Bowman, 1981) of the trainees, a skills and concept test to determine competency of facilitator skills, and informal observations and interviews with the helpers, helpers, and teachers. The results indicated increased self-esteem and self-concept of students in grade one, three, four and five. The students trained to be peer counselors demonstrated significant increases in positive attitudes towards others. It was concluded that a peer counseling program on the elementary school level does promote personal and academic surveys, skills test, training materials and worksheets and survey analyses
