Walk into a Starbucks, Caribou, or any other coffee shop after school and you’re bound to see an EHS student working on homework with a tutor. We pay tutors to help us understand what we didn’t in class. From calculus, to Spanish, to that APAL paper you need to get an A on, tutors are there to help.
As a student attending EHS, it’s safe to say that I don’t have a lot of free time on my hands after school. Tough schedules and a substantial amount of homework to do keeps us busy when we get home. Whether it’s studying for that next science test or memorizing lines for your French presentation, homework can add up. Time to cue the tutor. Many of them are former EHS teachers or experts in a certain area of study and are often available to provide the individual attention that a student needs.
“It’s never bad to have math explained in two different ways by two different people,” said Julie Connell, a former Edina Public Schools math teacher turned tutor.
Many people would argue that tutors aren’t necessary as long as you are willing to grit your teeth and work at understanding what you’re struggling with in class. For some this method may work, but not for all. I’m not saying that students aren’t disciplined; sometimes we just don’t have enough time in the day. Over 90 percent of the student body at EHS is involved in some sort of extracurricular activity, and naturally that takes time away from being able to do homework. Tutors are the effective answer to our problems, specializing in understanding how a student learns on a personal level.
“Without a tutor I wouldn’t have been able to score as well on the ACT,” said junior Jay Dienst. “It was much more effective than a class with thirty other people.”
From personal experience I can say that tutors have helped me to dramatically improve my math grade this year and to feel much more prepared for the ACT. The cost for a tutor is similar to a gym membership or cost for a sport—you’re paying for self-improvement. Around $60 an hour for a one-on-one session is a typical rate.
If you’re struggling in a class or have ACT/SAT anxiety, tutors are the most effective option to improve your understanding of the subject and to calm your nerves. Also, you can lower the cost if you share an hour session with a friend or two. You’ll be saving money, learning, and having fun at the same time.
