2019 Education magazine

Page 26 2019 “Education making a difference” LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 will provide school-based accommodations, such as extended time for testing or one-on- one classroom help.” This can be seen at all levels of education. A tutor should receive professional training, and needs to be enthusiastic about the subject matter. This can vary, depending on what subject a student needs help with. Some educators believe every tutor should be willing and able to work with every subject, and that really is not reasonable, or easy to find. Additionally, a tutor should possess a degree of empathy for students they work with. This is important because a student may become more frustrated before they understand the material. A good tutor understands that, and is willing to work through the frustration, not give up when emotions run high. This is also common at all levels of education, and is part of the process. Carole McGraw, a retired teacher and chemistry tutor from Michigan, lays out suggestions for self assessment or finding a tutor on behalf of a student: Figure out where exactly you or the student are struggling. Identify what kind of help they need, and what area of study they need assistance with. Think about how you or the student learns best. Additionally, tutoring can sometimes cost additional money; be honest with how much you are willing to spend on tutoring, as costs can add up. Call a school counselor or teachers. At all levels of education, counselors are available to meet with students to discuss these issues. They should have access to files on student progress throughout their education, depending on the grade. Most schools have a list of available tutors on file as well. You may find that a retired teacher may be willing to help, or a home-school instructor may be in the area. Make sure they know the subject matter you need. Alternatively, some areas may have a learning center nearby, like Sylvan or Kumon. Be aware that they typically work with educational problems like reading comprehension or phonics, rather than specific subjects, but they might also be able to guide you in a direction. Once you find a tutor, take time to ask questions to see how well their skills match the task at hand. Ask about educational backgrounds, experience they may have, instructional methodologies, and what they expect from the student or family members. During tutoring sessions, you want to monitor progress. Ask for feedback from the student, or, if you are the student, keep detailed notes on your tutoring sessions. If, after several sessions, you don’t see improvement, you may need to re-evaluate the problem, or possibly move on to another tutor. CONTINUED