In this article, Tremblay explores the effects of having a significant age difference between tutor and tutees:
Studies have shown that “cross-age tutoring, or unmatched age pairs may be more effective than peer tutoring or matched age pairs” (qtd. in Fresko and Chen 125). More specifically, “significant academic gains . . . were observed in tutees who were taught by older tutors” (qtd. in Fogarty and Wang 452). Author Deborah Sheldon theorizes that the reason for this improved chance for success is because “older, more experienced students are more apt to have mastered targeted skills” (35).
Tremblay concoted is own research within peer groups that he led. He tried very hard the first day to establish that each of them were in a "peer" review, meaning that they all held equal contribution to the group. After developing a rapport and sharing equal interests, he said the group successfully remained equal. However, during the next session he had with the same group, it was clear and evident that the students viewed him as the "instructor" or superior of the group:
"Essentially, the situation was far removed from the idea that “more often than not tutors are valued first for their friendship and concern and then for their teacher-like esteem” (Fogarty and Wang 453)."
By the end of the session, Tremblay decided to tell the other students about his personal stories about how his writing skill has made up for certain deficiencies in other areas of academia ("stories where being a good writer "pulled [his] feet from the academic fire"). By the end of his study, he found that the non-traditional peer tutor (in this case, an older student) might need to make extra efforts in order to find commonalities with the younger students.
https://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v32/32.8.pdf (page 14)
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