SIUE’s KDP Education Majors Offer Free Virtual Tutoring Sessions
While Zoom fatigue is real for some during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is one digital connection that is eagerly awaited by students and families in the Metro East. The hosts are with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) student organization, which is offering free online tutoring for grades K-12 in all subjects.
The Lambda Theta Chapter of KDP International Honor Society began providing the free service on August 31, and the assistance will continue through the pandemic, according to Barbara Martin, EdD, KDP faculty advisor.
“With all the changes and challenges of the pandemic, students had the idea to help those in the Metro East with learning,” explained Martin. “Students and families have been excited about the help. All of the comments on social media have been extremely positive.”
Each tutoring session is one hour. Registration is required at SignUpGenius or email kdp.siue@gmail.com. Tutoring availability is published each Sunday on SignUpGenius. After students register, a link to a Zoom session is emailed. Parents may also send any related documents or assignments prior to the tutoring session.
“We are growing our tutor pool quickly and hope to have nearly 25 education majors tutoring this semester,” said Martin.
“Volunteering is one of the hallmarks of Kappa Delta Pi,” said Meghan Kleeb, KDP vice president and senior elementary education major. “We all have a passion for serving the community! To assist parents in the transition to hybrid and remote learning, we decided to utilize our knowledge in these crazy times and offer our services to all students.”
“By working at a daycare, a strong concern many parents communicated with me was that their child was going to fall behind when they began e-learning,” said Amanda Frisch, KDP co-president with Taylor Winner, and senior elementary education major. “It’s difficult for a teacher to set aside extra time to work one-on-one with students. Parents are also in a tough spot, because many do not have enough time after work to go through lessons and problems with their students.”
“One-on-one tutoring through remote learning is beneficial,” added Kleeb. “We are able to directly teach the student in their preferred learning style, answer questions quickly, offer strategies and support the student through their schoolwork.”
“Parents have told me that their child’s school work seems like a foreign language to them sometimes,” confided Frisch. “The tutoring puts their mind at ease, and they love knowing our services are free! We do our best to make sure students are learning in a happy environment, because we know that’s when they will do their best.”
The tutoring sessions are also helping the tutors.
“I am able to bond with the students, and do what I love most ... teach!” said Kleeb. “I am being exposed to a variety of curriculums, lesson plans and activities. I am able to absorb all of this information and save it for when I have my own classroom in the future.”
Photos:
Amanda Frisch, KDP co-president with Taylor Winner and senior elementary education major, observes the work of a student during a tutorial session.
Meghan Kleeb, KDP vice president and senior elementary education major, explains a concept to her student in a free tutorial session.
