Teacher candidates provide targeted tutoring
This spring, a pilot literacy tutoring program will expand its reach after a successful launch. For the pilot, College of Education teacher candidates provided individualized literacy tutoring as part of their Pre-Professional Block (PPB) practicum at partner schools Metter Elementary and Hodge Elementary. All 18 teacher candidates placed at Hodge Elementary will incorporate literacy tutoring into their field experience this spring. Select PPB students placed at Metter Elementary will continue tutoring as well.
The pilot was successful for both elementary students and teacher candidates. Hodge Elementary principal Yvette Wells, Ed.D., was impressed by the tutors’ efforts, and both she and the classroom teachers noticed an impact on literacy skills and attitudes towards reading.
College of Education senior lecturer Janel Smith, Ed.D. taught several of the PPB tutors in her EDUC 2130 course. She says, “The tutoring program provides structure for beginning teacher candidates to plan and teach lessons which have an immediate impact on student learning. The connections with students in Hodge Elementary provided concrete experiences in the school that exemplified theory in their EDUC 2130. This is a mutually beneficial program for our teacher candidates and the school community.”
This targeted tutoring program was made possible by resources developed from a GEER II grant that trained college students to work as literacy tutors in summer learning programs.
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