Peer Tutoring a Home Run at St. Thomas the Apostle School

The goal of the Peer Tutoring Program here at STA is to bring students together to provide each other with a sense of their value as a learner and an important member of the STA community.
Students gather during the lunch recess period one day a week and are paired up or work in small groups to receive help with their academic work. This program which has been running for over 10 years at our school has proven very helpful for students who could use review and reinforcement of new concepts as well as spend the time necessary on work they may have missed due to absence.
The students really benefit from the individualized or small group attention led by an older student under the supervision of our teachers. The support and encouragement from the student tutor and the pride students take in being a part of the program build their self-esteem as a learner, an achiever, and an important part of the school community.
Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders are invited to join as students who receive the academic help as well as prepare to move into a position as a tutor in the upper grades as they are needed.
Seventh and eighth graders will be selected to be tutors based on their application and an interview so that their motivation to be dependable and effective student tutors can be assessed.
We encourage you to talk with your child’s teacher to see if they think your son or daughter is a good candidate to join. Mrs. Reilly, a former STA teacher and current volunteer will be stopping by your child’s classroom to talk to their class about the program. Students can tell their teacher if they would like to participate.
The seventh and eighth grade students who work as tutors benefit from the leadership and interpersonal skills that they develop and the sense of pride from serving their school community.
Overall, this program is a win/win for all of the students!