On-demand tutoring through TutorMe can connect students one-on-one with tutors 24/7. This includes connecting students to subject matter experts to support their learning in the classroom. For high school classrooms that can easily have more than 30 students in a class, on-demand tutoring can create new avenues for  differentiated support and enrichment to keep students challenged, supported, and engaged. 

For a high school teacher, incorporating on-demand tutoring into the classroom means less time spent providing feedback on papers, deeper student engagement during independent practice, and access to experts who can help students connect their learning to real-world situations. Here are some strategies for integrating on-demand tutoring to support personalized learning throughout your high school. 

Incorporate TutorMe into your school's academic support program

As an academic support tool, on-demand tutoring can be integrated into your school's existing academic support efforts. As a key learning tool to address interrupted learning and support accelerated instruction, on-demand tutoring can provide support for students who may be struggling academically due to a language barrier, missing foundational skill, or loss of confidence. However, implementing in-person tutoring can be incredibly difficult when faced with staff shortages, complicated high school schedules, and conflicting after school commitments. 

Older students are likely to be involved in athletics, be responsible for younger siblings, or have a part-time job. For schools looking to provide support for struggling students or students at-risk of dropping out, finding intervention tools that can be implemented during the school day is essential. 

With an on-demand tutoring platform, schools can navigate around staffing issues and still deliver intervention support to their students. With TutorMe, the support includes 1:1 tutor-student ratios, where students can work with a live tutor via whatever communication style they’re most comfortable with – including opt-in audio and video.. By incorporating on-demand tutoring during intervention blocks, study halls, or in the classroom, schools can connect students with tutors efficiently and reliably. 

Promote TutorMe to your students

Providing access to support and ensuring students are utilizing that support are two different considerations. At a basic level, schools can provide on-demand tutoring to students and wait for students to utilize the service as needed when working from home. However, to maximize the impact of one-on-one support, it is crucial that schools communicate to students the availability and benefits of the service, and model in the classroom on how to use it. 

From the start of the decision-making process, districts need to outline a communication plan on how they will encourage student usage and get students excited for on-demand tutoring. TutorMe provides ongoing partnership and support to our district partners to help get the word out, but there are other great strategies schools can employ to have a successful implementation. 

Consider the following to include in your student communication plan: 

• Verbal announcements in classrooms
• Promotions through school communications, such as bulletin boards, newsletters, emails, and social media
• Parent communications 
• Classroom demonstrations 

For older students, these communications should clearly express the value in utilizing on-demand tutoring services. For example, send out targeted messaging to junior and senior students who may be preparing for a college entrance exam to use on-demand tutoring to support their studying. TutorMe offers asynchronous writing feedback that will be particularly helpful to AP students, English students, and students writing scholarship essays. 

By considering the specific path your students are taking, teachers can tailor communications to resonate with older students and encourage them to access services. 

Work with teachers to incorporate TutorMe into the classroom

On-demand tutoring can be leveraged in the classroom to provide differentiated learning support, increase student engagement, and connect students with enrichment opportunities. For high school students, these are essential components in creating a productive learning environment as they prepare to either go to university, trade school, or enter the workforce. 

As students grow older, their skill gaps, interests, and needs begin to differ greatly from their peers. Instruction needs to be differentiated based on each student’s need, however, high school teachers can easily have over 150 students on their rosters. Teachers continue to deliver excellent instruction, but lack the time to support each student individually. 

For high school administrators, you can support teachers in providing differentiated support and maximizing the impact of their instruction through the usage of on-demand tutoring in the classroom. However, teachers need to be brought in at the decision-making level to build teacher buy-in and ensure that on-demand tutoring is fully utilized in the classroom. 

By taking the time to work with classroom teachers, school leadership can increase the exposure that students have to using on-demand tutoring and increase overall student confidence in utilizing this resource on their own time. 

Consider the following when working with teachers to build a routine around on-demand tutoring: 

• Model how teachers can use on-demand tutoring in the classroom 
• Create school wide competitions for classes that have the most tutoring sessions 
• Provide learning opportunities to increase teacher confidence in using the platform 
• Communicate the value in personalized learning 
• Encourage teachers to assign on-demand tutoring during writing units, large projects, leading up to tests, or during homework revisions 
• To get started check out these key strategies for implementing tutoring in the classroom 

Establish a culture of mastery, not answers

Once schools have created a culture around access to on-demand tutoring, they will also need to set expectations on how to utilize 1:1 support. High school students are increasingly busy and stressed, with large workloads of homework every week. Many students may see online tutoring as an avenue to get quick answers, instead of supporting mastery of a subject. 

While the tutors of TutorMe’s community are skilled at working with students to develop a growth mindset and work towards mastery, schools can also begin modeling this behavior. 

During your communication plan, emphasize the importance of mastering a subject over merely passing a class. This is especially important for students seeking to continue their education or go into a specific field. 

Some great strategies to help develop a culture around mastery include: 

• Allow opportunities for students to share what they have learned 
• Include on-demand tutoring in the classroom, where teachers can monitor conversations and learning 
• Have students model productive tutoring sessions for other students 

How can your high school benefit from on-demand tutoring?

When on-demand tutoring is available in your classrooms, an amazing wealth of knowledge and personalized support is made available to each and every student. Students are supported, challenged, engaged, and encouraged. For students nearing graduation, this is a critical time for schools to instill a hunger in students to continuously learn and grow. 

Online tutoring can connect older students with subject matter experts outside of their community. Beyond providing differentiated support, online tutoring can spark curiosity and encourage students to explore deeper into their subject areas. For high school students who may be completely disengaged from their education, this can be an essential connection that encourages them back into learning and back onto the path towards graduation and success. 

Learn more about how to bring on-demand tutoring to your high school by reaching out to the TutorMe team today! 

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