A Peer Tutoring Program Outline

The importance of a tutoring program in high school cannot be emphasized enough. How a student performs in his or her high school years can have a significant effect on their post-secondary life. High grades and test scores can mean scholarships and admission into prestigious universities. Passing grades for those who are not academically inclined can mean the difference between finishing with a high school diploma and more job opportunities, and not completing high school at all. A peer, school tutoring system can be very beneficial to all students but there are a few steps that should be taken to ensure success.

Research is the first step when creating a tutoring program. Administrators cannot suddenly decide to implement peer tutoring and expect it to work. Once the decision to explore the possibility of a peer tutoring system has been made, administrators should make the idea known to students and see what kind of response they get. This can be done during an assembly, through surveys or as an announcement at the end of classes. If there is a positive response, then the next steps can be taken for student peers to become English and/or math tutors, or any other subject.

The way peer tutoring programs usually work is through the pairing of students. Usually those in the top of the class, such as those getting A’s in certain subjects, will be assigned to work with students at the other end of the academic spectrum, such as those failing or struggling to maintain even C averages. Some schools have had great success by allowing the students to choose each other, and in some cases letting students advertise themselves as providing a tutoring service. Each school will need its own approach, and this can be determined again through proper research.

Payment is not always found in peer school tutoring programs, but it can provide positive results. Payment can be in the form of money, given to the student by the school, not the student being tutored; or it can be in the form of other types of rewards. This could be anything from cafeteria food to points that build up to be used in field trips. Without payment, these programs will only go so far. Maximum success will result from a financial investment made by the school.

A tutoring program that succeeds will result in an increase in school spirit and students who are much closer to each other. More measurable results will also be higher grade point averages across the board, a higher percentage of graduates going on to post-secondary institutions, and fewer dropouts. All of this success really depends on the efforts that both the students and the faculty are able to put into the program.

Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed anxiety or panic attacks as well as tips on the various panic disorder medications available at anxietydisordercure.com.