Bell Creek Intermediate has a steady focus on students helping one another – on top of its rigorous education standards. 

And sometimes those standards mean students need a little extra help. 

To paraphrase the Beatles, “We get by with a little help from our friends.”

So teacher Amy Brewer began the fourth-grade Tiny Teachers peer tutoring program.

At the February 26 Board of Education meeting at BCI, Brewer and several students told the Board all about the program, and how the first two months have progressed.  

“Since launching in January, these young leaders have been working with their peers every Monday and Friday morning to support skill practice, assignment completion, study assistance, and organizational skills,” Brewer said. 

“What started as months of preparation — including developing program procedures, designing materials, and completing scenario training — has blossomed into something truly special. Our Tiny Teachers have demonstrated remarkable leadership by taking responsibility for preparing materials, staying current with their own assignments, and maintaining strong grades while supporting their classmates.”

Beyond tutoring, the program is helping develop essential life skills, according to Brewer. While the Tiny Teachers are helping their classmates, Brewer is teaching her tutors communication, emotional intelligence and relationship building. The students who are receiving the additional instruction are learning those lessons by proxy.

She said the Tiny Teachers program has proven to be much more than a tutoring experience.

“It's a powerful opportunity for fourth graders to lead, learn, and grow together while building the confidence and character traits they'll carry with them for years to come,” Brewer said. 

But Brewer wasn’t alone at the podium. 

Four students came to speak about being tutors to their classmates – and a bevy of other classmates came to support them. 

“If your students are struggling with schoolwork or WIN time you should make Tiny Teachers a program,” Lizzy said. 

“Tiny Teachers is a peer tutoring program we want to create. It can help every person and saves teachers time,” Avery said.

“Tiny Teachers will also build up the tutor’s leadership and confidence as they teach the students more information from the students' point of view,” Clementine said. 

“It can even help the tutors understand, too,” Percy said. “The supplies we need are very little and the students can even bring it themselves!”

The students expanded on the program and what they’ve learned by helping their peers and understanding what teachers go through when they are planning lessons and have to take time to help one student be confident in the material being taught. 

And who better to understand the student perspective when the material just isn’t connecting and they feel stuck. Well, they’ll get by with a little help from their friends. 

“We're proud of our Tiny Teachers and the positive impact they're having on the BCI community,” Brewer said.