Peer mentoring in the instrumental, choral, and general music classroom

Peer mentors can be a beneficial resource that is sometimes overlooked in the realm of music education. Peer mentoring is an intentional relationship between students who are the same age or in the same class, where one person has more experience than the other and can aid in growth by providing knowledge and support.

In the instances of the instrumental or choral classroom, the mixed-age, mixed-ability composition of a group lends itself naturally to such arrangements. In general music education, peer mentoring can also be applied, but using somewhat different structures and techniques. For today’s purposes, we will focus on the concept of using it in a heterogenous group.

Before a peer mentor even begins to develop the partnership, there are several considerations that will strengthen the mentoring relationship. Investing just five to seven minutes per class period in preparation will solidify the outcomes of the peer mentoring program.

1. Group brainstorm: What are the desired qualities of a mentor?

In the beginning, students may have various levels of experience in collaboration. Brainstorming desired qualities and characteristics as a whole group allows everyone an opportunity to contribute and provides an equitable understanding.

2. Identify individual strengths: How will you contribute to growth?

Next, encourage each student to list two to three areas they consider to be strengths. Ask them to reflect on how these strengths might support growth in themselves and others.

3. Visualize or draw a symbol to represent the mentoring relationship.

One way to accomplish this is to invite them to visualize or draw a symbol of the new relationship, such as a bookshelf, a ladder, an anchor or a body of water such as a river, pond, or ocean. How does the symbol communicate the goals of the partnership?

4. Hold a concise goal-setting session. Partners can set a collaborative goal to work on together or individual goals where they support each other.

The last step in the preparation series is goal-setting. Goals can be individualized or partners may choose to focus on one common goal between them. In the second scenario the peer mentors serve as mutual supporters.

Once the planning is complete, the peers check in regularly or as needed throughout the predetermined learning cycle, which may be a unit, quarter, trimester or longer depending on the needs of the class. For classes meeting daily, a twice-weekly check can work well because it provides an opportunity for peers to see growth more often. When working with block scheduling, many prefer a daily mentoring moment, usually a few minutes at the beginning of each block.

Measuring outcomes can be managed by the peers, either utilizing data points or observations of growth. The flexibility and customizability of peer mentoring makes it a valuable resource for the music, choral, or instrumental classroom.