The education gap is a real thing, and some tutoring companies are not helping rid this problem for our kids. If you are wondering about gaps that exist in education, and how high priced tutoring isn't helping read on! Working in education for several years now, I have witnessed a few bothersome trends in our approach to learning and teaching.
Acknowledging problems that exist is only a start to finding a solution. Yes, acknowledgment is an integral part of finding fixes, but how deep is the situation of education gaps being dug into? To be completely transparent, there are multiple things that coexist creating gaps in the education our future leaders are receiving. I'm not going to slam you with a research based paper here, but there is a lot of research on this topic, and subtopics alike. Here are a few of those areas:
1) Representation: You got it! Who we put in front of our students matters, and that includes how they look. Though this may be uncomfortable for some, it is important we navigate through discomfort in order to find solutions. Increasing minority teacher presence in schools improves test scores of minority students (Weiher, 2000). Oddly enough Gregory Weiher completed this research in 2000, just 21 short years ago, and we are still not getting it! Students need to see themselves in leaders, in teachers, in various positions. This helps build confidence, it helps them see that they can attain the same goals as their white peers being taught by white teachers.
2) MIndset of educators and educational leaders: there are gaps in education across the board. Simply do an internet search of our school system in comparison to the rest of the world. One way to fix that is teacher and school leader mindsets. That's right, not the parents and students, but the way teachers and leaders think. Educators that tutor are not exempt from this! When teachers and leaders don't think their students can rise to the occasion, that is a closed mindset that creates even larger gaps in education. In schools that serve minority populations and/or under served communities, we must rid the mentality of "savior". Leaders and teachers alike should not approach teaching in these settings as a way to be a hero because they are serving "poor kids" or "black/brown kids". That mentality alone creates gaps in the quality of teaching and learning that will happen. The very people that serve the education system must be open to stepping outside of the box to meet the needs of who they serve. This service also includes the family of the students.
3) Curriculum: I'm not going to take a stance on bought curriculum versus teacher created lessons here. However, there are a few ways curriculum can hinder learning and add to growing learning gaps. Representation in texts within a curriculum is one example. Do the books your child reads represent your family or your background information? Are students being exposed to various cultures and people in their curriculum? Is the curriculum rigorous? In a thought provoking research study from The New Teacher Project (linked) it was revealed that educational inequalities are growing exponentially because students are simply not being challenged enough. This comes in the form of tasks/assignments, curriculum, and mindset (mentioned above). What and how we teach students is important, and can help eliminate inequalities in education.
4)Overpriced educational services outside of the school: Yes, school funding, especially in under served areas, is a big problem. This includes access to tools, resources, and even additional learning opportunities such as after school programs and tutoring. When students are not meeting academic expectations, or are falling behind in certain subject areas, tutoring is a great way to promote confidence, academic success, and individualized learning. These are all areas that are often not met in a traditional classroom, where class sizes top 30 much of the time. This is not a bash on teachers because whew! they are trying their best. The point is that a teacher following the demands of their principal, district leaders, standardized assessments, etc. is juggling so much that having time to complete individualized learning plans and one on one time is often unthinkable. Therefore, tutoring is an excellent option to help close these gaps. However, with prices for tutoring companies and centers so high accessibility is unattainable for many.
What are we getting at here? The four points made are ways to help eliminate disparities in education. Why shouldn't the students I serve be receiving the same opportunities as my own children? Why are leaders making teachers afraid to do what's best for students? Why are we not rallying in support of hiring teachers that represent their students?
The big question is probably what this has to do with tutoring? Well, everything from quality tutors, with the right mindset to price. If ALL families and students can't access services it is not something that is helping close the achievement and education gaps that exist. As a parent I know what it feels like to have a child struggling with academics. I also know what it feels like to call various tutoring services and non be able to afford any of them. How is that a company that supports the true mission of providing accessible services for all children to learn? It's not!
Affordable tutoring provided by quality teachers is a way to create a safe learning space, one on one sessions, and individualized learning goals and plans.These points alone are enough to bolster academic growth for tutoring clients. However, I want to point out some of the important elements in this post (not exhaustive by the way) should be kept in mind when choosing a tutor. Licensed teachers are knowledgeable about curriculum, Common Core State Standards, and tasks that ill help meet goals needed within age/grade bands. Ensuring tutoring is affordable helps ensure parents aren't breaking the bank to provide their child with the same opportunities as any other child. One on one and small group tutoring has proven to be successful in boosting student confidence, organization, and academic performance.
Understanding that there is an education gap and discussing some of the tough issues that create and maintain this gap is just a start. Your child's academics are a top priority, especially in a world where we must have a secondary education in order to be gainfully employed. There are many spawning topics that can be addressed off of this one topic, so let me know what questions you have or what you may like to discuss in the near future!
Referenced in this post:
TNTP. (2019). The Opportunity Myth. https://tntp.org/publications/view/student-experiences/the-opportunity-myth
Weiher, G. (2000). Minority Student Achievement: Passive Representation and Social Context in Schools. The Journal of Politics Vol. 62, No. 3 (Aug., 2000), pp. 886-895.
