Step 1: Enroll in the Best Private or Small Group Tutoring You Can.
When NYC schools closed, many students felt adrift learning virtually. Whether they rarely met with their instructor or seldom were assigned work, morale in classrooms nationwide were at an all-time low. Today, it’s clear distance learning stunted most students’ academic growth, setting the average pupil behind months in ELA and math.
Students fell behind when NYC schools closed because of COVID once before, but we know enough to circumvent that sort of damage again. The solution? Enroll in the best private or small group tutoring you can. Whether you opt for online tutoring or to meet mask-to-mask you’ll be protecting your child from a second bout of missed educational milestones.
Step 2: Take Note of Where You’re At in School.
When NYC schools close again, you’ll need to act fast. Before your child’s backpack becomes any more of a blackhole, find any and all class materials you can: handouts, homeworks, etc. The topics covered across these assignments will likely be the most fresh in your child’s mind– but their in-person instruction was just interrupted, so it may not be entirely solid. Ask your child how comfortable they feel with what they were learning before school went online and report back to their tutor (they’ll love you for this).
If your child has been in hot water for a while in school, Step 2 may be a tad more complicated. That being said, most students are and have been struggling in school since the pandemic began. Between students struggling with mental health and the far greater social pressures kids face today, ironically, school is the last thing on most student’s minds. Take a breath (remind your child to as well,) and refer to our earlier blog on addressing COVID-caused learning loss.
Step 3: Be the Liaison Between Tutor & Teacher.
Now that your child is situated with an all-star tutor, it’s time to get your money’s worth. Keep your tutor apprised of the lessons your child is covering in school. This may sound like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. Just make sure when your child is headed to their weekly or twice-weekly tutoring they have their most recent class materials at the ready (this works even better if you could print them.) The more your tutor knows the better! The best tutors will be actively seeking out this intel from you and your child, but they’ll need your help gathering fine details (e.g. test dates, quarterly projects.)
The skinny of it is this: if NYC schools close again, enroll your child in private tutoring near you. “It takes a village” as they say, and for online school the same applies. If round one with online school taught us anything, our kids need all the support in school they can get. Finding a great private tutor ensures your child is soaking up everything they’re currently covering in class and any material that fell to the wayside these past few years. Ready to enroll? Look no further, Tip-Top Brain has tutors your child will love and learn from.
Whether NYC schools close again or not, we’ll have you covered with updates, tips, and insights to help unlock the star-student in your child.
