Tutoring use tapers, prompts response from honor societies

Promoting tutoring services is a priority for honor society chapters as the persistent tutoring drought inhibits the societies’ functions and means students are not getting the help they need.

“There is an expectation that Honor Societies include some sort of service for their school,” says administrator Anita O’Neill. “Peer tutoring is a great way to give back to the school community [and] extends student opportunities for support beyond seeing teachers.”

When few people seek tutoring, it minimizes the societies’ impacts on the school. Spanish Honor Society tutor sophomore Jillian Kabik says, “I always look forward to tutoring, and when no one shows up, I have nothing to do. I think people could definitely benefit from tutoring and I’d love to help them out.”

While tutor attendance has remained steady for some honor societies, a lack of tutees has negatively affected members’ attendance of others. Science National Honor Society sponsor Meredith Zanni says, “[Members] don’t think it’s important if they miss a session for something else if many students may not come.”

So why aren’t more students showing up to be tutored? Senior Isabel Brown says, “I would go get tutoring if more people did it. No one really goes so I don’t want to be the only one there.”

Sophomore Aoy Staples adds, “I [would] just feel more comfortable if the tutor doesn’t go to Blake and isn’t around my age because it’s fine if I make mistakes and take a long time to understand something.”

“I don’t have time,” says freshman Naomi Miatudila.

However, students engaged in the process note that tutoring is a worthwhile investment of one’s time.

“Actually, people do show up to get tutored,” says senior Emily Guerrera. “There was this girl and she came in for help and we had a tutor sit down with her for the entire lunch. I know that she really benefited from it.”

“Definitely,” is what Spanish Honor Society sponsor Silvia Juarez says when asked if tutoring boosts a student’s GPA.

Ms. O’Neill says, “Everyone needs help at some point.  Our best students are our best students because they go see teachers, meet with their friends to discuss content, and access resources we have to offer.”

In light of the tutoring drought, honor societies’ efforts to further promote tutoring include the production of an advertisement video, flyers, listserv announcements via Blake Private, and word of mouth.

To those students still apprehensive about tutoring, Co-Chair of Tutoring for the Science National Honor Society senior Sunil Suprenant says to just go for it. “Honestly, the people who are there will be happy to see you.”