Tutoring Across Generations: A Teachers Perspective

Tutoring Across Generations: A Teacher's PerspectiveHow can parents and educators use tutoring across generations to learn what works best for each age group? What would it mean to move from learning the basics in a young child to starting to teach the middle and older students in an elementary school? Or what about the first-graders that need to have a few more ideas for vocabulary, while they read for comprehension? While there is not one quick answer, there are several opportunities available that will let parents and educators to create a curriculum that works well for students in different ages.As the first grade students begin to begin writing their own papers, the grades might need to be adjusted to give each age group a slightly different grade, so that the age groups are learning at a different pace. Using both parents and teachers to ask questions and brainstorm new lessons can allow for some creative thinking. Instead of using material from the past, the teacher might cons ider providing a curriculum that is current to each age group. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose the children to different cultures, news, technology, sports, history, poetry, and music. It is easy to create a one-hour lesson plan that features all of these topics.The middle school and high school students might need a more advanced lesson plan, and in that case a review of the past could be a great way to continue the teaching and knowledge that were taught in the age groups that need it most. Teachers could use material that was previously taught in each grade level and offer a review of topics that were covered in a previous lesson. Reviewing old material might also allow the teacher to consider what the children learned that they should be included in future lessons.For the older students, perhaps they need more time in the classroom, or more interaction with the students, such as tutoring. The older students need extra work because they have more complex and challenging assignments. Therefore, tutoring is the perfect solution. The tutor could focus on a few different skills, such as the English reading skill, a math skill, or a learning about geography skill. The other students can still learn with the more basic lessons, but the tutor can give additional help and supervision for each child in the class.With a little bit of thinking, a parent or educator could create a curriculum for a grade level that targets all of the main areas and skills needed in different age groups. For example, a grade five school child would benefit from a math skill that was not introduced in the grade four curriculum. If a grade six child wants more information about chess, then they may benefit from taking more advanced lessons with a math tutor.Another example is that a child in grade six who was used to having time to rest between lessons may want to learn how to complete homework outside of the regular class hours. They can study at home before school or take speci al education classes at home to complete their homework assignments, then leave for school when their parents are not watching. This is a great way to save time, because they can complete their assignments faster and avoid homework fatigue, while at the same time be exposed to different learning styles. Parents and teachers can tailor a lesson plan that is specific to each child.It is not just about having all of the students in the grade level for each age. A teacher or a parent can plan on having a grade seven student that needs extra help with a math skill that would not be included in the grade five curriculum.Learning what works for every grade level is crucial for success in a classroom. Through tutoring across generations, parents and educators can create a curriculum that works for every age group, regardless of what type of child it is that is in the class.