Virtual Tutoring Solutions for School Districts: Scaling Academic Support

Current statistics show that enrollment of students in grades PreK through 8 is 4.5% lower than it was in 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, enrollment of high school students is up by 2%.

Unfortunately, student enrollment isn't the only variable that poses a challenge to school administrative officials. An acute teacher shortage has resulted in over 40% of public schools in the United States reporting teacher vacancies. About 270,000 teachers and school staff members retire each year and many of their replacements aren't qualified for their jobs.

Thankfully, there is a solution that can help you address both problems. Online tutoring enables you to scale classes to meet your school's ever-changing needs. You can add or remove courses from your schedule to stay in step with ever-changing enrollment numbers. You can change course times to meet the needs of new learners or adapt learning material to help IEP students reach their learning goals. What's more, with online tutoring, you don't have to limit yourself to looking for certified, qualified teachers in your immediate area. Instead, you can take advantage of a nationwide pool of instructors for every grade level.

What Does a Good Online Tutoring Set-up Look Like?

Many educational institutions had bad experiences with online tutoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, learners, and school administrators were unprepared to make the immediate, unplanned switch from in-person to virtual learning. Scores declined and estimates indicate that, on average, students in grades 3 to 8 lost about half a year of learning in math and a quarter of a year of learning in reading.

Fortunately, with proper planning and preparation, a good online tutoring set-up can be far more successful than COVID-19-era virtual learning.

Choosing the Right Online Learning Model

There are three online tutoring models you can pick from. These are synchronous online tutoring platforms, asynchronous learning platforms, and blended platforms that combine both instructional methods.

Synchronous Online Tutoring

Synchronous online learning platforms provide livestreamed lessons in a school classroom. Students can ask questions in real time if they don't understand important points. Teachers can adapt course material in real time if learners are grasping points quickly or need further review.

Synchronous online tutoring platforms allow students to interact with each other. Learners will hear questions other students ask the teacher during class as well as the teacher's answers to these questions. Teachers can assign groups of students to breakout rooms to complete assignments together and then present results to the rest of the class.

Multiple studies confirm the many benefits of synchronous learning. This instructional method lowers the class withdrawal rate, positively affects cognitive processes, and improves learning outcomes and letter grades. What's more, it enables students and teachers to build positive relationships and a sense of community that helps learners feel like they belong.

Asynchronous Online Platforms

Asynchronous tutoring sessions are simple to scale. Students learn the material at their own pace, on their own time. The school simply needs to provide the course material, keep track of homework, and post grades. If a student has questions about the learning material, he or she can message the tutor. Some personalized support is available but questions aren't answered in real-time.

There are some benefits of asynchronous online learning. First, each learner can study material at his or her own pace. Second, this learning model makes it easy for students to review course material if they don't understand a concept or want a deeper understanding of the subject. Third, learners don't have to attend class at the same time.

Unfortunately, the lack of live communication and interaction in an asynchronous online tutoring model is a significant drawback that affects learners on several levels. Research has found that students miss the camaraderie that comes with live interaction with a teacher and fellow learners. The lack of live communication leads to feelings of isolation that can cause mental health issues and academic problems. What's more, learners will need more self-discipline and motivation to successfully keep up with an asynchronous course than a synchronous one.

Planning an Online Tutoring Class Setup

There are many factors you'll want to take into account when planning online tutoring sessions. Some considerations that will need to be addressed include:

• Which academic classes are needed for each grade level?
• What's the best schedule for online tutoring?
• What accommodations need to be made to the online tutoring model to help IEP and 504 students reach their learning goals?
• What equipment does the school need to set up an online classroom? Does the school have a reliable internet connection that can handle multiple live-stream classes?

Bear in mind that planning an online tutoring class setup isn't a one-time job. You'll want to evaluate how classes are progressing throughout the school year to make sure each student is receiving sufficient instruction and assistance. Keep track of grades and communicate with parents and virtual teachers regularly to see if any changes to your online learning model are in order.

You'll also want to re-evaluate your tutoring schedule at the end of every school year. If students need assistance with a particular subject, you may need to add new classes to meet learner needs. Alternatively, you may need to remove some classes from your lineup if learner interest or enrollment dwindles.

Preparing Students for the New Online Tutoring Platform

Your students probably have at least some experience with online learning. However, that doesn't mean they're automatically prepared to adapt to your online tutoring platform.

• Kids should understand that the live classes will take place in a school classroom. They need to know the room and class time to ensure they aren’t late for class. Any location or schedule changes should be announced in advance.
• All learners will be expected to participate in tutoring by asking and answering questions, taking part in pop quizzes, and communicating with others. Students should be prepared to engage with others in class.
• The kids in your school should also know how to use your new online teaching platform. They should be able to find tools such as breakout rooms, chat rooms, and discussion boards with ease. They should know how to submit homework, how to ask for homework help, and how to request accommodations on an exam. Deadlines for submitting assignments should be clear, and learners should also know when they can expect to see test scores.

Proximity Learning: An Ideal Approach to Scaling Academic Support

Proximity Learning is an educational service that connects schools with real teachers throughout the United States. All our instructors are certified to ensure your kids receive the best tutoring and academic assistance. We offer synchronous classes that cover all academic subjects for K-12 students, summer school for those who need additional tutoring, special education case management for IEP and 504 students, and one-on-one tutoring to help students who need a personalized approach.

Our model is not only high quality but also flexible. We make accommodations and tailor our offerings to meet your state's scope and sequence requirements and the school's bell schedule. Additionally, we have the online platform and interactive teaching tools needed to make learning fun and increase student retention of important information. Contact us to find out more about our services or to learn about the onboarding process for your school.

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