SCHOOLS TAKE VARYING APPROACHES TO TUTORING

Students who are struggling with subjects in school often turn to tutors for help. Tutors include teachers willing to meet students outside the classroom, non-teachers who have expertise in certain subjects, college students who are majoring in subject areas that junior-high and high-school youths need help with, and even fellow students.

L.J. Schultz School in Cape Girardeau has a program of peer tutoring. Beginning its fourth year, peer tutoring is offered two days a week after school. It was organized by Marjorie George, a school counselor.

At Central Junior High School, counselor Tom Berkbigler encourages students to form study groups supervised by parents.

At Cape Central and Notre Dame high schools, teachers are available to help with tutoring, although fellow students, college students and non-teachers are often used to help students improve their studies.

At Schultz, George said she learned about peer counseling while attending a conference several years ago that explained how the program had worked in other schools around the state.

Why peer counseling?

"I think it appeals to the student needing help," said George. "They appear to get on the same level and seem to be more comfortable than working with a teacher or an adult. Quite often some of these tutors who work with them have struggled with a class or assignment themselves, and it is much easier for them to explain it."

Students at Schultz interested in being tutors have an opportunity to apply. If accepted, they are given brief training. About 15 students will be working as tutors this year. George anticipates that six to 10 students will attend the after-school sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.

In past years students had to schedule sessions, but this year students will be allowed to just drop in for help. Students stay from 30 minutes to an hour.

"We will help with whatever they need, from help with homework to test preparation," said George.

The peer tutors are supervised by teachers.

"Some of the tutors we have are particularly good in one academic subject; usually they have at least one field they are good in," said George. "Students don't have to be A and B students to be involved."

George believes most seventh-graders are interested in tutoring because "they just want to help."

At Central Junior High, teachers will spend time after school with students needing help. But Berkbigler believes that having students living in the same neighborhood working together at home is a good way to study.

"Parents and students seem to be interested in this approach, especially in this age of two parents working," said Berkbigler. "My intent is to focus on more of a social atmosphere and interaction because this is a socialization time in their life."

Most students don't want to stay after school to be tutored, he said, and often, by working with other students, youths learn faster.

"A teacher can say something four times and a student might not understand it, but when a student hears something from another student they usually understand it," said Berkbigler.

Having students study together in an informal setting can be very effective, he believes, and also can help improve their time-management skills.

"It seems like students at this age have a real problem with organization skills and need to put themselves on a time schedule," explained Berkbigler.

One of his techniques is to give students an assignment book that covers a 15-day period so that with their parents they can focus on what needs to be done each day for classes. In addition to homework assignments, the book is designed for students to include times for fun activities, from attending or competing in sporting events to just talking on the phone with a friend.

After the 15 days Berkbigler urges students to buy their own book and maintain a focus of keeping up on a daily basis.

Berkbigler stressed that learning to work in groups and developing organizational skills are both essential job skills.

Jerry Witvoet, counselor at Central High School, said the school has no formalized tutoring program but has teachers available three days a week after school and sometimes before school. "Students have a lot of opportunity to see teachers outside the classroom," said Witvoet.

"We have also linked up students in study halls with other students in that study hall who have had the course they are needing help with, said Witvoet. "That situation has worked quite well with students."

Counselors at Central also talk with teachers about students who might be wiling to tutor after school. "We are looking for students with the background and knowledge to help someone, as well as the patience and ability to sit down and explain things with students," said Witvoet.

Both Witvoet and Brad Wittenborn, counselor at Notre Dame High School, frequently talk with Southeast Missouri State University about college students who are willing to tutor, especially in the fields of mathematics and science. Both schools also have a list of non-teacher adults who are willing to provide tutoring in certain subjects.

At Notre Dame Wittenborn said there is a heavy reliance on teachers as tutors.

"Most of the tutoring happens with our faculty. We have a very dedicated faculty that spends a lot of time at lunch and before and after school working with kids," said Wittenborn.

Since math is one of the most troublesome areas for high school students, Notre Dame has a math teacher available for students at lunch time.

As a service project, students in National Honor Society also serve as tutors.