K-12 Education: Untangled — Trends, Issues, and Parental Actions for Public Schools
Raising kids can be tough! I know because I’ve been a single mom who raised two kids on my own. And when they get in the K-12 public education system, learning the ins and outs of that system can get you all tangled up, especially when you’re a parent of color. You need to know about the current trends and issues as well as resources necessary to navigate within the system. That’s what the K-12 Education: Untangled podcast is all about — providing you with tools, information and practical actions to help you and your children succeed within the complexities of K-12 public education.
K-12 Education: Untangled — Trends, Issues, and Parental Actions for Public Schools
Episode 122: Harnessing Tutoring's Potential to Transform Student Success
The episode highlights the importance and value of tutoring in addressing academic struggles and fostering a growth mindset in students. Various forms of tutoring, such as high-dosage programs and community involvement, are discussed as vital components of educational success. Topics discussed include:
• Importance of identifying when a child needs tutoring
• Overview of high-dosage tutoring effectiveness
• Vacation academies as an innovative approach
• The role of parents in supporting tutoring programs
• Developing a growth mindset through positive reinforcement
• Significance of consistency in tutor-student relationships
• Balancing online and in-person tutoring strategies
• Research supporting tutoring's impact on academic success
• Encouragement for parents to take proactive measures
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Welcome to another episode of K-12 Education Untangled. My name is Dr Kim J Fields, former corporate manager turned education researcher and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast. I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African American mom raising my two kids, who were in the public school system. I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system. Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their education and progress. This battle-tested experience is what I provide as action steps for you to take. It's like enjoying a bowl of educational research with a sprinkling of mother wisdom on top. If you're looking to find out more about current information and issues in public education that could affect you and your children, and the action steps that you can take to give your children the advantages they need, then you're in the right place. Thanks for tuning in today. I know that staying informed about K-12 public education trends and topics is important to you, so keep listening. In this episode, I'll be discussing the necessity and value of tutors, as well as how to determine if your child needs a tutor.
Speaker 1:Tutoring is probably the oldest approach to education. It's an effective way to help struggling students. You know when your child is doing well in school because they get good grades, they participate in class and they get along with their peers. But what do you do when your child is struggling academically? Is tutoring a viable option? I discuss the benefits and challenges of tutoring, as well as steps you can take if your child is struggling with an academic subject.
Speaker 1:In this episode, let's untangle this. Tutoring is not new or a promising fad, but rather a method that's been tested and validated over decades. Have you heard of vacation academies? These represent an evidence-based approach to individualized instruction. The programs are where school leaders recruit talented teachers to work with small groups of about 10 struggling students in a single subject, like math or reading, over week-long vacation breaks. The students are assigned to the same teacher for the whole week to help reinforce positive teacher-student relationships. These programs are often less expensive than high dosage tutoring and could be paired with tutoring program to maximize results.
Speaker 1:A subset of one-on-one tutoring is high dosage tutoring programs. These programs are implemented with high levels of frequency typically at least three 30 to 60 minute sessions per week for at least 10 weeks, if not a full school year, and have low tutor to student ratios, typically between one to one and one to four. The tutors range from certified classroom teachers to volunteer tutors. Virtual tutoring programs are another way that tutoring is provided. The challenge with virtual tutoring is establishing a deep tutor-to-student relationship. High-dosage tutoring and vacation academy programs can reduce the educational inequality by providing individualized instructional support to struggling students and by contributing to students' social and emotional well-being. In many communities, adult volunteers act as tutors to help those students who are struggling academically. If effective tutoring programs staffed by community volunteers could be a critical component in ensuring the success of those vulnerable student populations, while supporting teachers and engaging the community in the public school system, tutoring programs can be an important way to promote academic and personal growth, especially for the most vulnerable population of students.
Speaker 1:Tutoring sessions should provide clear, specific and measurable objectives. They should also have structured activities that align with specific goals, as well as ongoing assessment for individualized instruction. Tutors should also provide immediate feedback, motivation and encouragement, as well as scaffolding and modeling. These should all be coordinated with classroom instruction. With classroom instruction, tutors can potentially influence a variety of attitudes and skills beyond traditional academic outcomes. There is no single best practice for training and supervising tutors. Providing clear expectations, offering incentives and building role identity can help maintain volunteers' commitment. Additionally, an initial screening process for selecting volunteers can be used as a tool for communicating expectations about attendance and responsibilities, gauging interests and skills and learning about an individual's motivations for volunteering. It's important for tutors to see how their efforts contribute to the overall success of a tutoring program. Ongoing feedback about performance recognition by school and program staff and small rewards from local businesses, for example, can go a long way in helping tutors maintain their commitment. These incentives all apply for volunteer tutors. Engaged parents, staff and community organizations play a critical role in supporting successful tutoring programs. Tutoring programs can be a way for parents to connect with their child's school or curriculum through specific, targeted information or activities. It's essential to develop strong lines of communication that connect supplemental programs like tutoring with the needs and goals of the school.
Speaker 1:Tutoring not only leads to academic success measures, but may also lead to important changes in the child's attitudes, skills and beliefs. Positive feedback during a tutoring session can lead children to believe that they can change with effort and practice and that success usually comes from hard work. This attitude is known as a growth mindset and it's been associated with reduced risk for school dropout, decreased aggression in the adolescence, increased likelihood of accepting responsibility and resilience in the face of challenges like stereotyping and racism. Skills and attitudes like attention, perseverance, curiosity and emotional regulation all contribute to a child's overall academic success. Tutoring has long been known to improve students' academic achievement.
Speaker 1:In the United States, children can receive tutoring from a variety of sources, both at school and outside of school. Parents who notice their children struggling in a specific subject area will often first start to intervene themselves and then, given economic means to do so, hire private tutoring services for their children to do so. Hire private tutoring services for their children. Children whose parents cannot afford to hire private tutors live on tutoring services provided at the school. The no Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandated that Title I schools not meeting yearly assessment targets offer free tutoring as part of the supplemental education services provided in the legislation. Supplemental education services are services that provide additional academic instruction designed to increase academic achievement of students in schools that are in need of improvement. These services can include tutoring and other supplemental academic enrichment services, as long as they occur outside of the regular school day. Supplemental education services providers can be from public or private sector, but they must be approved by the state. Some school districts that had non-Title I schools offer supplemental education services to low-income students, and other school districts may offer supplemental education services to students who are not low-income.
Speaker 1:The one consistent, determinant factor for a student's potential eligibility to receive supplemental education services is whether or not the child attends a school that has not made annual yearly progress for three years or more. Limited English proficiency students and students with disabilities received supplemental education services in grades two through five at higher rates than other students. Overall, of the students attending schools that did not make annual yearly progress of three or more years, parents were satisfied with the services that their child received. Parents from other public schools also reported being very satisfied with the services their child received. Parent satisfaction varied by poverty level and family structure. Among students who attended schools that did not make annual yearly progress for three or more years, a greater percentage of poor students who received free tutoring had parents who were very satisfied with the services as compared to near poor or non-poor peers. 50% of all students living in two-parent households had parents who were very satisfied, compared to 75% of students living in one-parent households. A larger percentage of students enrolled in grades K-5 schools that missed annual yearly progress targets for three or more years and who received other tutoring, had parents who were very satisfied with the services, as compared to students enrolled in grades 6-8. About 12% of students attending schools that did not make annual yearly progress three or more years received tutoring services other than tutoring from their school. This tutoring was paid for in whole or in part by their household.
Speaker 1:Sometimes tutoring is needed early in school, especially in the first grade, when students have difficulty grasping the concept of reading. Reading Recovery, developed by Dr Maria Clay, is a short-term tutoring intervention program which has the goal to serve the lowest achieving or bottom 20 percent of first grade students. It's intended to provide literacy skills and reduce the number of first grade students who are struggling to read. The program supplements classroom teaching with one-on-one tutoring sessions, typically conducted as pull-out sessions during the school day. Tutoring takes place during 30 minutes over 12 to 20 weeks. Reading recovery had positive effects on students' alphabetic skills, comprehension and fluency and general reading achievement outcomes.
Speaker 1:High impact or high dosage tutoring can support student learning by providing focused, individualized support. It's one of the most effective tutoring methods that can help students gain academic ground quickly. What makes tutoring effective is the one-on-one or one-on-two small group interaction that's targeted to a student's specific needs, and a willingness by the student to take risks and really try to learn all the things that go along with this type of close relationship. Effective tutoring is really about the positive relationship between the student and the tutor, whether that tutor is a certified teacher, retired educator, a college student or a live online instructor. A key factor in this relationship building is for the student to have the same tutor for the entire tutoring program time frame. High-impact tutoring is considered the most effective tutoring model, but it's also the most expensive.
Speaker 1:Research has shown that short bursts of tutoring, like 5 to 10 minutes daily, can help boost early reading skills in the earliest grades. Chapter 1 is a nonprofit tutoring program that serves elementary children in the United States, canada and the United Kingdom in their first two grades. Kindergarteners and first graders in the program have individual sessions with part-time tutors covering five to ten minute lessons on phonics, oral reading and other early literacy topics. These tutoring bursts occurred during regular class lessons three to five times a week, and students also complete tablet-based activities on their own to reinforce the lessons. The most recent federal tutoring data, taken from the 2022-2023 school year, indicates that more than 8 in 10 public schools are providing some sort of tutoring for their students, but only 37% offer high dosage tutoring, which is considered the most intensive but also the most effective type of tutoring. High-dosage tutoring programs can cost anywhere from $500 per student per year to several times that.
Speaker 1:There are three must-haves for effective tutoring. One coherence Tutoring should be integrated into the school day and it should be a cohesive program that has equity at the center as well as safety of the students. Tutoring should focus on grade-level skills needed in class at a particular time, rather than a separate curriculum. Two consistency Consistency Schools should ensure that their students meet with the same tutors over a course of the term or a year, which allows them to get to know each other and work toward long-term learning goals. And three coordination Tutors should work with classroom teachers to focus on the skills students need most each week. In addition, teachers and tutors should share data with each other on how students are doing.
Speaker 1:Tutoring occurs not only in person, but also online. Research indicates that blended instruction that occurs both online and in person leads to positive effects on student achievement, especially when it's collaborative and promotes self-reflection in students. High-quality out-of-school tutoring curriculum needs to be content-rich, differentiated to various student needs and connected to the student's school day. While digital tutoring via the internet can be effective, students realize significantly larger benefits, especially in math achievement, when they interact with tutors in face-to-face settings. Some experts indicate that online tutoring may not be as effective as in-person tutoring, but other experts indicate that online tutoring can be highly effective in providing personalized instruction, improving academic performance and increasing student engagement. It's also less expensive as an alternative to in-person tutoring expensive as an alternative to in-person tutoring. Well-designed face-to-face tutoring can be a powerful ally for recovering what was lost academically from the COVID pandemic.
Speaker 1:Online tutoring seems to work best when tutors work with one to two students in person for eight weeks and then follow up their tutoring sessions online for three 50-minute sessions per week. Typically, the one factor that impacts this type of tutoring is the lack of a strong internet connection. Online tutoring sessions seem to work better if the students are at school during the online sessions. Online tutoring doesn't have to mean after-school tutoring and it doesn't have to mean opt-in tutoring. There's a fair amount of flexibility involved, such that it can be very similar to in-person tutoring. School districts should select who receives this tutoring based on students' specific academic needs. It should not be up to the students to opt in to this type of tutoring.
Speaker 1:Low engagement is one of the most common issues with online tutoring. The best way to get around this is to build tutoring into the school day. Many times, teachers set students up for online tutoring during work time in class periods. Students up for online tutoring during work time in class periods. This allows students to get one-on-one help with the tutor without taking the teacher away from other classroom responsibilities. Evaluating the impact of online tutoring is important for school administrators. They first need to examine whether the students who need tutoring are getting it, and then whether those students are attending their tutoring sessions. Then the district can look at how tutoring is impacting students' academic achievement and well-being.
Speaker 1:Teacher-assigned tutoring allows schools to provide intensive support as needs arise. For example, during a lesson in class, the teacher may note that a student is struggling with a certain section of the lesson, whether that be in math, reading or other subject area. The student can go into the online tutoring program, describe the situation with the tutor, and the two of them can devise certain lessons that reinforce key learnings for the student. It gives teachers the opportunity to help students by providing individualized instruction, not reactively but proactively. Having an online tutoring program that uses data to understand students' needs and has materials or curriculum to support their development is key to successful outcomes.
Speaker 1:What's my take on the research that's been discussed? I think that tutoring is one of the key tools that can help students improve over time. The golden triangle of consistent relationship, alignment to core classroom instruction and high doses of tutoring that amount to 50 hours or 36 weeks is where the greatest gains in tutoring have come. In order to see student achievement gains through tutoring, it must be connected to the core curriculum in the classroom, using high quality materials and tutoring benefits both tutors and students because of the familiar look, feel and instructional approaches of the materials. The research points to the fact that high-dose tutoring can add months of academic progress for a student. Now let's move from listening to this discussion to applying it, to this discussion to applying it. With that in mind, how does what I've just discussed apply to you? Here are the action steps you can take regarding this topic.
Speaker 1:I'll start out with the story first. One of my children struggled with math and the other needed to reinforce foundational skills of reading as well as the discipline involved in completing math assignments. In other words, he needed to be held more responsible and accountable. So I decided to use supplemental materials based on recommendations from teachers to fortify math skills and reading skills. I used workbooks and other materials from a local teacher supply store and assigned homework to both my children in addition to what was assigned in school. That worked fairly well for a reasonable amount of time, but the skills mastery was developing more slowly than I liked. I eventually had the means to enroll them in Kumon, but the skills mastery was developing more slowly than I liked. I eventually had the means to enroll them in Kumon, which is an after-school program with tutors that provide repetitive exercises that develop skills mastery and discipline. This type of after-school tutoring worked very well for both of them, and the enhancements in these subject areas was reflected in improved grades.
Speaker 1:You know your child best and you know when they're doing well in school and when they're doing poorly. I think that tutoring works best when you take a proactive approach to it. If your child is struggling in a certain subject area, you might start out with providing supplemental materials that you can easily find on Amazon by searching under that subject. For example, you could search for math drills for children seven to eight, or math games for children five to six, etc. You get my point. You can use those materials to help build the skills that you see need reinforcement as a first step. It's inexpensive and it may be helpful. If you decide that the supplemental materials are not meeting your child's academic needs and you have the means, you can enroll your child in programs such as Kumon or Khan Academy, which is an online tutoring service. If this is not feasible, then check at your child's school to find out if they have tutoring services available in class, before school or after school. The school district pays for tutoring that's conducted on the school campus, and this may be a viable option for you as well. In any case, being proactive in addressing the gaps in your child's academic skills is the best way to position them for success.
Speaker 1:The research is clear Tutoring is undoubtedly beneficial for students struggling in subject area, content and skills. The key is for it to be utilized in a consistent manner so that relationships are developed, skills are mastered and overall student well-being is achieved being is achieved. Here are this episode's takeaways. Tutoring can occur in several formats high dosage, online, teacher, assigned after school or a combination of these. There's a need for tutors to be trained to educate students with best practice techniques. Tutors need the methods that are necessary to best educate all children, especially children of color, and especially in those instances when the tutors and children's backgrounds are different. Presidents, including former President Clinton through President Biden, have pledged millions of dollars in federal funding to support volunteer tutors. Sustained tutoring blocks at least three times a week, can improve student academic outcomes. The critical piece for this type of tutoring is that it happens during school hours, not outside of them. Students themselves seem to want to come to school when they know they're going to receive personalized attention through tutoring.
Speaker 1:What's been your experience with tutoring as discussed in this episode? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a text comment on my podcast website, k12educationuntangledbuzzsproutcom. Again, let me know your thoughts on your tutoring experience by leaving me a text comment on my podcast website at k12educationuntangledbuzzsproutcom. Did you enjoy this episode? Do me a favor and text your friends and family right now about the show. Let them know that you have a podcast recommendation that you want them to listen to and encourage them to listen to my show and get back to you to let you know what they think about it. Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode. I hope you'll come back for more K-12 educational discussions with even more exciting topics to untangle. Until next time, aim to learn something new every day.
