Odvard Egil Dyrli on web-based tutoring: online help can offer specific and effective tutoring solutions.Tutoring used to be thought of as a private issue. While many parents nationwide choose to supply tutors for their children, the issue hasn't appeared on schools' radar screens. Until now. Because of No Child Left Behind, any school that receives Title I funds and doesn't make adequate yearly progress Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically. for three years in a row is forced to offer students tutoring in math and reading. For instance, in Connecticut nearly one in four of the state's 180 public high schools did not reach the academic progress required by No Child Left Behind this year. This includes all the high schools in Hartford, New Britain New Britain, city, United States New Britain, industrial city (1990 pop. 75,491), Hartford co., central Conn.; settled c.1686, inc. 1871. The tin shops and brassworks in the city were established in the 18th cent. and Waterbury. And this is in a state that spends nearly $3,000 per student more than the national average of $7,376. These supplemental educational services can be given before school, after school, or on the weekends, and districts must supply parents with lists of state-approved SES providers at least annually. Even in districts that do not qualify for SES assistance, parents with children who struggle academically typically ask schools for tutoring help and advice. With countless nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. and for-profit tutoring options, implementing local programs can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the Web offers easy and effective solutions. As a first step, some schools use district Web sites to help families select local tutors. For example, South Dakota's Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, city (1990 pop. 100,814), seat of Minnehaha co., SE S.Dak., on the Big Sioux River; settled 1856, inc. as a village 1877, as a city 1883. Settlers abandoned the site in 1862 because of Native American raids, but with the establishment (1865) of Fort District maintains a list of employees who serve as paid tutors--$20 to $50 per hour is common--and the Laredo (Texas) Independent School District uses its Web site to promote a free tutoring program. Similarly, Chicago area schools gain benefits from the Tutor/Mentor Connection site that recruits and prepares adults to work with disadvantaged students in urban environments. Tutoring Online However, finding local individuals with in-depth expertise in specific content areas is often difficult, finding places to meet may present problems, and tutors may not be available when they are most needed. Districts are therefore looking to new tutoring services that are completely online, which removes such barriers. A partnership of Tutor.com and Greatschools.net maintains a directory of individuals who tutor over the Internet, and growing numbers of companies specialize spe·cial·ize v. 1. To limit one's profession to a particular specialty or subject area for study, research, or treatment. 2. To adapt to a particular function or environment. in Web-delivered services. For example, Smarthinking--a leading provider of online tutoring Online tutoring refers to the process by which knowledge is imparted from a tutor, knowledge provider or expert to a student or knowledge recipient over the Internet. Online tutoring has been around almost as long as the Internet and takes the following form: programs for middle school, high school and college students--gives learners continuous e-mail access to instructors, personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. feedback on essays and scheduled one-to-one instruction using on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. white boards. Smarthinking has tutored more than 78,000 students in more than 330,000 online sessions. Other companies that offer online tutoring services include BrainFuse, eLuminate and eSylvan. Burck Smith, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Smarthinking, says, "Each provider has a different program, different technology, different target students, different training for tutors and different price points," so it pays to shop around. Spreading the Word However, the results in many districts have been disappointing. For example, in Lancaster, Penn., where tutoring was available through the district, two nearby systems, two tutoring services, and three for-profit companies, 13 out of 800 qualifying students from city schools signed up initially. Some parents may not be motivated to seek such help, have poor English skills, lack education to navigate the system, or be unaware that such services exist. Your staff needs to explore online tutoring alternatives and make the best options accessible through your Web site. Odvard Egil Dyrli, dyrli@uconn.edu, is senior editor and emeritus e·mer·i·tus adj. Retired but retaining an honorary title corresponding to that held immediately before retirement: a professor emeritus. n. pl. professor of education at the Univ. of Connecticut. Web Resources * No Child Left Behind www.nochildleftbehind.gov * Sioux Falls School District Tutor List www.sf.k12.sd.us/documents/ tutorlist.doc * Laredo ISD See IDD. Tutor Program www.laredoisd.org/tutor * Tutor/Mentor Connection www.tutormentorconnection.org * Tutor.com/GreatSchools.net tutor.com/greatschools * Smarthinking www.smarthinking.com |
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