WHAT DOES SUMMER TUTORING LOOK LIKE?
Many people think that tutoring is defined as help with homework, but that’s not true. So, what are the possibilities of working with a tutor in the summer?
While we appreciate the playful lightness that summer should bring, working with a tutor in the summer can also be a very positive experience. For those who enjoy reading or writing, a tutor can explore genres, encourage creativity, and answer questions that often take a backseat during the hectic pace of the school year. Tutors can teach students how to take notes, to annotate text, and practice the art of thesis statement writing. They can provide feedback on writing that is specifically directed toward students’ needs. With a tutor, students may read short stories and explore the nuances of good writing. They might set reading goals and discuss book topics, run book groups, or work on adding sensory detail to storylines. The possibilities are many and co-creating with students helps with buy-in and engagement.
The beauty of summer tutoring is that sessions can be completely individualized. Times and dates are much more flexible than they are for organized classes or book groups. Vacation weeks can be accommodated, and students can double up during less busy weeks.
The other advantage of summer tutoring is that it gives students a chance to review or preview content and realize their potential. Especially in the wake of online learning and all that the Covid pandemic has meant for schools, many students have a weak understanding of some part of the curriculum. Issues seem especially prevalent in the area of math. Were you first learning about fractions when school switched to online? Did you learn algebra while distracted by the upheaval and you’re now realizing that your knowledge is shaky? Re-taking an entire third grade math or algebra course isn’t likely necessary. After all, you do understand the basics. But if you were able to review numerators and denominators and x+y=z with a tutor, you could skip over the pieces you absorbed the first time around and fully focus on the parts that you missed. A tutor can encourage you to change mixed numbers into fractions and figure out the slope on a graph as many times as it takes to master it. No shame, no stupid questions, no pressure. It’s summer, so there is time. Tutors work to build confidence so that students return to school feeling empowered and ready for the next steps.
Summer is a time for intellectual exploration and tutoring can be used like a personalized “camp.” Setting up a schedule that fits, tutors can help students learn about percentages and ratios or how to explore topics that they find interesting. Would you like to research a topic like cars, artists, beekeepers, or World War II? Summer allows the freedom to learn for the sake of learning rather than for the sake of school, and tutors can empower students along the way.If you are interested in learning more about what summer tutoring could mean for your student, please reach out! We'd love to hear from you.