Directors: Emily Collins, Chris Haswell
Trusting your student’s education in the hands of a peer can seem like a risky task. Why would a fellow student be preferable to a professional tutor? Some believe that peer-tutors are trying to replace teachers, but a fellow student’s advisory in addition to teacher’s instruction fosters a more complete understanding of the topic. The relationships that students are available to form with one another are far stronger than that of someone significantly older than them. Providing a comfortable and friendly environment to a place like a school, a notoriously uncomfortable environment, reduces students’ anxiety and improves their overall ability to learn. Plus, the East WING, one of Georgia’s few Secondary School Peer Tutoring Centers, is a free solution to other costly alternatives, and it is located right here at Etowah High School!
Our peer tutors are trained monthly and have become specialized in the effective ways to tutor fellow high schoolers on potentially difficult subjects. Every tutor completed the subject area of their expertise only six months to a few years ago and actively retains the information, being able to distribute the material more effectively than other tutors who may need to be more refreshed on the content and the newer styles of learning.
Peer tutors are also trained to encounter the different situations which may arise while serving a client. Whether the client is upset or angry that they have to get tutored, peer tutors know how to deal with the unique situation thanks to our mandatory monthly training. This allows the student to feel more relaxed and comfortable, making it easier for them to understand and retain the information than right when they walked in the door. Your child’s unique needs will be met by their peers, who thrive while providing educational opportunities to the community.
The benefits of peer tutoring far outweigh those of the overpriced and oversaturated market of current professional tutors. By allowing your student to visit a center that is by their peers, for their peers fosters a unique learning environment that both a classroom and professional tutoring center fall short in providing. Our tutors are confident in teaching the subject and the specific material, while presently being trained on how to deal with unique experiences and behaviors so that the East WING can make your student feel comfortable and confident in their learning.