Does+Tutoring+Improve+Proformance+in+School

Tutoring improves student’s academic performance in school, according to independent evaluators. From 65 independent evaluations of school tutoring programs showed that these programs have positive effects on the academic performance and attitudes of those who receive tutoring.

In my opinion tutoring improves reading levels. In addition, it improves self confidence and an eagerness to want to learn and come to school. Many times children’s self confidence is shot down because the child has a difficult time doing class work and participating in group discussions. In most cases a little tutoring increases the child’s performance in school which means better grades, and a better attitude toward learning. Bloom (1984) found that individualized instruction: tutoring resulted in student mastery of the material at a much greater level than in the conventional classroom, such that “the average tutored student was above 98% of the students in the control class” (4). Cohen et al; (1982)

Many of the New York City Schools offers tutoring for the lower grades to improve the reading scores, this way the children will be better prepared for secondary school and highs school; it will be less students dropping out of school. As Elbaum et al. (2000) have indicated, much of the recent research on tutoring has focused on improving reading scores in the early grades. Written by Jane Lofton

I am all for peer tutoring. The school I am currently employed with offers peer tutoring, mathematics and english at the end of the day. The school also requires students to have three 90 minute sessions per week of mathematics in addition to two 45 minute sesions. Without technology available at this school on a regular basis because of the deemphasis of it, most middle school students do not do well in the traditional classroom setting for long periods of time. A more productive use of the time would be to have 10-15 peer tutors integrated with students who are below performance level. Peer tutors would be given credit for their assistance and a more individualized approach, say maybe having a pair of students teamed with a peer tutor for the second 45 minute session. Time management and strategic use of resources, human and otherwise, are key to changing the trend of an unacceptable 50% high school drop-out rate. (Brett Cohen)

There is no doubt that students do benefit from tutoring. There are about thirty to thirty-five students in a typical classroom and one teacher. During a normal class period each student might only get a minute or two of individual attention from the teacher. Given that students have different needs and different learning styles, it is hard to accomodate all in a forty-minute period. This is where tutoring comes into play. During tutoring, a teacher can focus his/her attention on a smaller group of students or even on one student. This not only will improve students' progress in class but also strengthen teacher-student relationships. Students are more likely to trust and listen to teachers who take the time to help them. In addition, peer tutoring is also very effective. When stronger students are seated next to weaker students, the stronger students tend to help their classmates with classwork. Time can also be arranged when classmates tutor one another during a lunch period or after school. A number of my students stay after school for help with either homework or classwork, and the students who are present generally help one another with little intervention on my part. In fact, there were too many students and too little space in the office to accomodate everyone that the students requested me to open the door to an empty classroom so that they can do their work in there. The students were very productive and now and then I would walk into the room to check on their progress and answer any questions that still remained. (Judy Mui)

Peer tutoring is probably one of the cheapest and best programs a school could set up to improve student learning. When engaged in peer tutoring, they learn to be comfortable talking about academic subjects and as a result, are more comfortable with learning as a whole. Student are naturally inclined to want to help each other and if they are shown good tutoring methods and techniques, students may be even better transmitters of knowledge than adults.

These are some cool videos of students teaching computer skills to their class mates. http://newali.apple.com/ali_sites/ali/exhibits/1000328/Peer_Tutoring.html

This is a Webcast Series sponsored by a professional organization related to tutoring and the first Webcast about peer tutoring is April 17th. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/04/prweb515761.htm (Jamahl Black)

It is my belief that tutoring does affect performance. Tutoring provides an opportunity that allows students to get one-on-one help. This very personal help allows tutors to target the student’s specific needs. As an individual with tutoring experiences, I have seen firsthand how tutoring can improve a student’s performance. I have worked with several students who struggled with math. The improvements were minimal at first and as later the students are able to perform as well as or better than their peers. One student I tutored now has an above 90 math average at LaGuardia HS. Her mother has called me on several occasions to say thanks. She strongly believes that providing a child with a tutor made the difference. I agree. As a teacher, I often suggest to my parents that they get a tutor for their children who I believe will benefit from the one-one-one sessions. Tutors provide an environment where the child feels safe to ask questions, express doubts, or respond incorrectly to questions without feeling “dumb.” Unlike teachers, tutors do not have a pacing calendar. Thus, they are able to spend longer periods ensuring that the student fully understand and can apply a concept. Tutors can teach students specific skills; for example, test-taking strategies and writing techniques. So, how can tutoring be effective? Tutoring must target a child’s specific needs. Consequently, tutors must collect specific information from the child, the parent and if possible the teacher. What I did to get the necessary information was to look at the child’s notebooks (homework and class work), tests, quizzes and report cards. Report cards give tutors a wealth of information. Is the child struggling in just one subject? Are there behavioral issues? Is the child regular and punctual? I then had a conversation with the parent regarding his/her communication with the teacher on his/her child’s performance. Next, I have a conversation with the child. I ask questions like why you are failing the class. What do you find easy/difficult? What topic are you studying now? I also ask questions specific to the child’s tests and quizzes. These give a clear picture as to what I am dealing with. If the problem is behavioral that also has to be addressed. I had a second grader whose problem was behavioral. Her mother and I spent hours discussing the best way to deal with her behavior. We were then able to work with her – a slow and sometimes frustrating process – to help her settle down in class. She was so unfocused and fidgety that it played out during tutoring sessions. That’s why I said tutoring must target the child’s specific needs. This child’s problem was not content; she was smart and knew a lot more than she got credit for because of her “out of control” behavior. School performance can improve if a student has tutoring. Targeting the specific needs of a child helps to develop the child’s confidence, sustain interest in a subject area (because the child knows the work) master concepts and develop specific skills. (Gillian Edwin)
 * Tutoring Improves Performance (Gillian Edwin)**