In the peer-to-peer tutoring program, students are responsible for mentoring others and balancing their own time as learners. With the goal of helping others grow academically, volunteers dedicate an average of three to four hours per week to their tutees.
Peer tutor lead and senior Isaiah Palacios prioritizes student growth by practicing effective communication and collaboration in the peer tutoring process. Fostering a supportive and comfortable learning environment also enriches the tutors’ own educational experiences.
“I would say communication skills [and] working with others [is important] because it’s just a lot of collaborating back and forth [so] you both bounce off ideas [and] you help them understand the subject that they’re learning,” Palacios said.
Balancing extracurricular activities, social life, academics, and tutoring can be challenging. Yet for junior Aleksandr Dozorov, maintaining a structured schedule keeps things manageable.
“I don’t find it much of a challenge, to be honest,” Dozorov said. “I think as long as you have a good time [and] good schedule, then it’s easy to balance both tutoring and your homework.”
However, sophomore Hannah Goldberg had to take her busy schedule into account when making the decision to become a peer tutor this fall. When asked what the most rewarding part of being a tutor is, Goldberg highlighted the rewarding benefits of being a tutor and helping her peers.
“The most rewarding part of being a tutor is being able to help someone on something they have been struggling with for a long time, and really help them understand the material and watch them do well in a test that they may have done poorer on, had they not had the help of a tutor,” Goldberg said.
Tutors like Palacios, Dozorov, and Goldberg aim to see their tutees succeed independently, creating a collaborative atmosphere that values both academic progress and students who dedicate their time to uplifting others.
“My top goal is to make sure my tutees are able to understand it themselves, so they will not fully rely on me to do homework,” said Dozorov.
