Building the Foundation: PVS's Advocacy for Education's Tutoring Program

The PVS education group has been hosting tutoring sessions for students in 3rd-12th grades. In addition to the virtual sessions, they now offer in-person sessions for those who are interested. Tutors help students strengthen their academic skills and offer assistance in areas where they struggle. Additionally, they aid students' comprehension, assist with homework, and allow them to improve in their overall academic studies and learning skills.

The way the tutoring works is that students are divided by grade and subject and each tutor is assigned students specific to that. In each tutoring session, the tutors ask the students what they need help with, and if a parent sends their kid with a note, the tutor focuses on that as well.

Naisha Chowdhury, a senior at PVS and head of the PVS Education Reform Advocacy Group, says that the tutoring program has been of great success and benefit to the students. She says, “We have had a great time working with all the students both in-person and virtually. In-person tutoring allows us more freedom with teaching methods- we love students solving problems on whiteboards and interacting with peers and tutors without feeling like they’re doing 8 hours of school all over again.” Online tutoring provides the means to easily and effectively receive help when you need it or at scheduled times. However, in-person tutoring also has the benefits of providing more interaction for both the tutors and the students to efficiently and effectively carry out tutoring.

Yasmeen AbuNasrah, one of the high school tutors, finds that in-person tutoring allows the kids to feel a lot more comfortable and focused compared to a virtual setting. AbuNasrah says, “ I feel as though with in- person tutoring, we have been having more students and the students that are there are more comfortable. If they are more comfortable, they can focus and benefit more than online.”

Tutors are able to work alongside some of the teachers to communicate ways to best assist the students. This provides a way for the students' needs to be met by clarifying anything that the teacher specifically wants the students to improve and master. Chowdhury also says, “We have also been super blessed to have teachers communicating with us about the students’ weaknesses and strengths so we can best serve students.”