West Kearns Elementary Partners in DYAD
The Program
We use research-based practices, following guidelines from the Utah State Board of Education. As a tutor, you'll learn activities that are proven to help students succeed.
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You'll be well-trained
The training can be completed online or at the school. If you ever have questions, Ms. Nelson is ready to answer them!
Support is just a shout-out away
Whether you think of questions during the training, while you're tutoring, or even before you volunteer, it's never difficult to find the answers.
It's a commitment
Students need two tutoring sessions each week in order to see a benefit. Why is that, you ask? Well, your guess is as good as ours. We just know it works.*
You Choose your Schedule
Whether your schedule allows you to come at 9:30 or over your lunch break, somebody is available and can use your help. *Tutoring does take place during school hours. 9 am-3:30 pm*
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Our teachers each have a weekly classroom schedule that they use to decide when their students can come to the tutoring center. You, the tutor, get to choose which of those windows you'd like to use to help the students you're assigned to.
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If you'd rather just come in on one day a week, we can pair you up with a tag-team tutor. You two will work together to be sure that each of your students is tutored twice during the week.
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Once you've agreed to help a student at a specific time, please stick with it! We try to keep changes to a minimum to help preserve our teachers' sanity and our students' sense of routine. (However, if you do have a conflict come up, we can adjust. Just let us know.)
*Morris, D., Shaw, B., & Perney, J. (1990). Helping low readers in grades 2 and 3: An after-school volunteer tutoring program. Elementary School Journal, 91(2), 133-150.
More STAR Schools
Americorps and Partners in DYAD have programs at schools from St. George to Lewiston to Wendover. If you're leaning toward tutoring in person, but live far away, look for our sister programs at JustServe.org or email lynsiemnelson@gmail.com to be put in touch.
Books Bring Power
In some ways, our program is an early college prep course. By the time kids get to college-level courses, the majority of their learning comes not from the teacher, but from the text. If students have trouble reading, they get left in the dust.
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We want our students to be confident pursuing their education! Through reading, we can empower them to graduate, go for higher education, and become lifelong learners.