Despite some progress, students continue to struggle with persistently low achievement, chronic absenteeism and poor motivation around learning, according to an article in K-12 Dive. The long-term social and economic consequences of pandemic-induced learning loss – including lower graduation rates, unemployment and reduced lifetime earning potential – are just now emerging.
Research shows high-impact, in-person tutoring is one of the most effective interventions. Why?
- Asynchronous and synchronous online tutoring platforms perform a vital role in today’s K-12 environment, but e-learning platforms are ill-equipped to identify and address learning loss issues. Students on the wrong side of the “digital divide” are at a distinct disadvantage.
- High-quality, in-person tutors are trained to take all factors into consideration. Tutors are trained to observe students’ body language and different learning styles and adjust curriculum and teaching methodologies accordingly.
- They bring subject-matter expertise, pedagogical experience, resilience training, behavioral management, and other skills relevant to the specific populations of students they serve, and know when to push, pause, or try a different approach.
- They help students develop executive functioning skills such as note taking, organization, and time management.
- A strong relationship between a teacher/mentor and a student can have a profound impact on critical short- and long-term student outcomes including engagement, academic grades, school attendance, disruptive behaviors, suspension, and dropout, according to research. I
- Students appear to benefit when the demographic profile of their tutor or teacher matches their own background. Having a shared language or culture can be instrumental.
- Tutors help students learn how to learn, drawing on different threads of training, personal experience, and background to find the key to engaging students while also teaching academic concepts.
- By taking the time to get to know students as people, not simply a test score, tutors can positively influence a student’s feeling of value and belonging and transform negative beliefs around learning that may be blocking their innate abilities. Tutors give students the time and the space to make mistakes and try new things.
- In-person tutors often become vital members of the school community – filling crucial gaps in staffing and providing an extra layer of support for students, teachers and administrators alike.
As ESSER funding winds down and school districts seek out ways to close the learning gap, high-impact, in-person tutoring can be a game-changer.
K-12 Dive
