Supporting teachers: Where Does Tutoring Fit in Your District’s Support Structure?

A school district is tasked with the responsibility of supporting their teachers in this ever-changing, modern world. School districts are often stretched thin financially and academically due to lack of funding, overcrowded classrooms, and an increasing need for specialized curriculums. 

In addition, teachers are under an immense amount of pressure. Not only do they have to teach a diverse set of students with varying skill levels, but they also have to contend with the administrative tasks that their jobs often require. 

Add the lasting challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it can be understandably overwhelming for many teachers. Left unchecked, this stress can lead to burnout as evidenced by the number of teachers leaving the field.

The impact of the pandemic on students is clear, too. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress report released at the beginning of September, 9-year-olds have experienced the greatest decline in reading that we have seen in over 30 years along with the first decline in reading since 1969, which is when the testing began. 

A McKinsey report similarly shows students falling five months behind in math and four in reading.

Thanks to ESSER funds, especially ESSER III, or the American Rescue Plan Act, schools have the money to take steps to address all of these issues. 

As education secretary Miguel Cardona stated in a recent New York Times article, “We’re fortunate now that we have extra funds to address not only what was made worse by the pandemic, but some of these issues that were underlying in education.” 

As you know, 20% of the funds must address this learning loss through “evidence-based interventions.”

Tutoring’s effectiveness is backed by evidence. Thus, with districts facing unprecedented staffing shortages coupled with pandemic-related learning loss among students, hiring a professional tutoring service can help districts provide services that support teaching staff, students and teachers.

Where does tutoring fit in your district’s support structure?

Historically, many school districts have relied on their own teachers to provide tutoring to those students who need extra support. However, even before the pandemic, teachers were stretched thin. 

Now, districts can shift at least this responsibility away from teachers. A professional tutoring service like Skooli lets districts know they are providing highly qualified, professional tutors at an affordable price.

Benefits to students

There are many reasons hiring a professional tutoring service could help your school district. 

First and foremost, providing tutoring services to students can help close the achievement gap. Studies have shown that students who receive tutoring services tend to perform better academically than those who do not.

In addition, professional tutors can help students with specific academic needs that may be outside the scope of what teachers are able to provide. For example, if a student is struggling with a particular subject, a tutor can provide one-on-one attention and customized instruction to help that student succeed.

Furthermore, a professional tutor can be advantageous for a student with learning challenges. First and foremost, a tutor can provide individualized attention that a student may not receive in a traditional classroom setting. 

This customized approach can help a student better understand difficult concepts and retain information more effectively. In addition, a tutor can work with a student at his or her own pace, ensuring that he or she fully grasps each concept before moving on to the next. 

Finally, a tutor can provide moral support and encouragement, helping a student to stay motivated and engaged in the learning process.

Benefits to parents

Often, though, the responsibility of providing homework help or tutoring services falls to the parents. This can be problematic for several reasons. 

In a household where both parents work, there may be little time for parents to devote to helping children with homework, studying for an exam, writing a paper or simply reviewing concepts. Add in extracurricular activities or multiple children in the household, and the challenge multiplies. In addition, even if a student’s parents have advanced degrees, they may not have enough knowledge about a subject to be able to effectively teach it to their child. 

And, of course, children aren’t always as receptive to instruction from their parents as from someone outside the home. Professional tutors, then, can also serve as a valuable resource for parents.

Many parents do not have the financial means to hire professional tutors on their own. When a school partners with Skooli, all students have access to 24/7 homework help from professional tutors, at no cost to the family. 

An online tutoring service like Skooli ensures a safe and secure tutoring environment, and parents can know what is happening at all times. This can be invaluable in ensuring that students are getting the most out of their tutoring sessions.

Benefits to teachers

The benefit to teachers is clear. When students are better prepared for class and have the opportunity to review concepts outside of the classroom, teachers can focus on doing their job — teaching.

Overall, hiring a professional tutoring service can provide numerous benefits to teachers, students and parents. By helping to close the achievement gap and providing customized instruction, professional tutors can make a real difference in the lives of those they work with.

Find more information on hiring professional tutoring services with Skooli Unlimited.