Students to the Rescue!

For the past few weeks, Mr. Tim Akins (8^th grade science teacher) has had chemistry students from Gulf Shores High School (GSHS) come to Gulf Shores Middle School and work with students in his science classes. The high school students come every Tuesday and Thursday during class to help students with their work. Most of the students are in the 11^th and 12^th grade.

The students come at random, so there isn't a specific list of students. They are there to  aide Mr. Akins when students are struggling with a lesson, have a question about science, or even help when he is teaching. Currently only two teachers are participating in this program. Mrs. Amanda Jennings (science teacher and varsity cheerleading coach at GSHS ) and Ms. Patricia Gamble (science teacher and science department chairperson at GSHS.

Mr. Akins is planning to keep this program until standardized testing begins on March 30. He is also planning to begin this program at the beginning of the next school year. Mr. Akins had this to say about the program, "It gives us a chance to correspond with the high school. I thought it would be a great benefit to students." John Simkin  said, "A student in a traditional teaching environment can be very passive or docile, but when he or she has to take on the role of teacher or instructor the student is empowered. The student as a teacher can prove to be an extremely positive and liberating experience for both student and teacher and the class that makes up the audience." He goes on to say that students learn better from each other. Though this has not been proven, many feel students learn quicker, easier, and more effective from other students than from  their regular teachers.

By: Sydnee Lee; 7th & Sarah Jarrett; 7^th

Morgan Valle' a high school student as GSHS tutors Daniel Laborde and other classmates.
Photo By: Roger Reetz