New - Free, On-Demand Online/Virtual Tutoring Available for All Students, K-12

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who is paying for this though?

MCPS is and we as taxpayers are.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been waiting two weeks for a response. So it’s now quick at all. I ended up getting an in person private tutor immediately in the interim.

[Anonymous]

Our elementary school has started offering free in person tutoring by the teachers before and after school and I am SO grateful for it! You have to be identified as needing the tutoring, you can't just sign up. I'm so appreciative of the teachers that are doing this.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone tried this for an upper level HS class? Specifically AP Calculus. My kid won't use the peer tutoring available at school. Has a terrible teacher for calc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait...are you telling us that MCPS-paid, on-grade-level, online tutoring aimed at catching students up from pandemic learning loss/keeping students from falling behind their baseline grade of study is not achieving the same results as family-paid, acceleration- & enrichment-oriented, in-person tutoring aimed at exposing students to more interesting/advanced concepts and improving test scores at the higher end?

Mind. Blown.

This is for everyone, or just those struggling. Stop blaming Covid. Kids have been in person two years now.

Blaming Covid? Get over yourself and accept that there was a learning impact from it. (Not yet) two years of in-person hasn't completely overcome the loss across the student population.

Not just for those struggling? Try getting that tutoring set up for enrichment -- something more than is offered in the curriculum for your kid's grade. At best you'll get varying acceptance across the school admins that need to approve. More likely you'll get a "that's not what this is for" reply. Sure, anyone can access it, but if it largely is constrained to that in which a student already is demonstrating mastery, what's the point?

I'm not saying having this isn't a good thing. Just that it isn't comparable to that accessible by high-SES families. A read-between-the-lines, there, with the nod to test scores is not to abolish those privately-accessed resources, but to make sure MCPS recognizes the continued dichotomy and adjusts policies accordingly. Like not relying on exposure-based test scores when determining suitability for enriched programming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait...are you telling us that MCPS-paid, on-grade-level, online tutoring aimed at catching students up from pandemic learning loss/keeping students from falling behind their baseline grade of study is not achieving the same results as family-paid, acceleration- & enrichment-oriented, in-person tutoring aimed at exposing students to more interesting/advanced concepts and improving test scores at the higher end?

Mind. Blown.

This is for everyone, or just those struggling. Stop blaming Covid. Kids have been in person two years now.

Blaming Covid? Get over yourself and accept that there was a learning impact from it. (Not yet) two years of in-person hasn't completely overcome the loss across the student population.

Not just for those struggling? Try getting that tutoring set up for enrichment -- something more than is offered in the curriculum for your kid's grade. At best you'll get varying acceptance across the school admins that need to approve. More likely you'll get a "that's not what this is for" reply. Sure, anyone can access it, but if it largely is constrained to that in which a student already is demonstrating mastery, what's the point?

I'm not saying having this isn't a good thing. Just that it isn't comparable to that accessible by high-SES families. A read-between-the-lines, there, with the nod to test scores is not to abolish those privately-accessed resources, but to make sure MCPS recognizes the continued dichotomy and adjusts policies accordingly. Like not relying on exposure-based test scores when determining suitability for enriched programming.

We are using the set use for several subjects. Are you? We have had a decent expand thankful for it.

My kids did not experience learning kids. We made sure of it. There are always kids struggling but Mcps is offering lots of help so if you choose not to use it that’s on you. And we do it for both support and enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone tried this for an upper level HS class? Specifically AP Calculus. My kid won't use the peer tutoring available at school. Has a terrible teacher for calc.

We use it. Been a lifesaver. Do it a few times a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently only 15% of MCPS students are using these virtual/online tutoring services even though MCPS has set aside millions of dollars for this service.

15% is a big chunk of kids. That seems like pretty good engagement to me.

Not sure what "millions" means, but $5,000,000 spread out over 24,000 kids (15% of 160K) is a little over $200 per kid. That's not a lot of tutoring.

MCPS is big.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know any students who like or use this. Every student I know interested in tutoring wants in-person tutoring.

We use it and really are appreciative.

+1 We use it for math and it is really helpful for solidifying concepts and previewing upcoming topics. The tutor my child was assigned is friendly and flexible, and explains the concepts in ways that seem to "stick." Very grateful to MCPS for making this possible, including the fact that it is in an online format.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone tried this for an upper level HS class? Specifically AP Calculus. My kid won't use the peer tutoring available at school. Has a terrible teacher for calc.

We use it for a high school AP science class. Student thinks TutorMe Tutor is helpful and knowlegable. Student says tutor s helping reinforce material in a way that teacher cannot in 30-person class. It does take a few weeks to get matched as a PP noted. Doesn't hurt to try it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait...are you telling us that MCPS-paid, on-grade-level, online tutoring aimed at catching students up from pandemic learning loss/keeping students from falling behind their baseline grade of study is not achieving the same results as family-paid, acceleration- & enrichment-oriented, in-person tutoring aimed at exposing students to more interesting/advanced concepts and improving test scores at the higher end?

Mind. Blown.

This is for everyone, or just those struggling. Stop blaming Covid. Kids have been in person two years now.

Blaming Covid? Get over yourself and accept that there was a learning impact from it. (Not yet) two years of in-person hasn't completely overcome the loss across the student population.

Not just for those struggling? Try getting that tutoring set up for enrichment -- something more than is offered in the curriculum for your kid's grade. At best you'll get varying acceptance across the school admins that need to approve. More likely you'll get a "that's not what this is for" reply. Sure, anyone can access it, but if it largely is constrained to that in which a student already is demonstrating mastery, what's the point?

I'm not saying having this isn't a good thing. Just that it isn't comparable to that accessible by high-SES families. A read-between-the-lines, there, with the nod to test scores is not to abolish those privately-accessed resources, but to make sure MCPS recognizes the continued dichotomy and adjusts policies accordingly. Like not relying on exposure-based test scores when determining suitability for enriched programming.

We are using the set use for several subjects. Are you? We have had a decent expand thankful for it.

My kids did not experience learning kids. We made sure of it. There are always kids struggling but Mcps is offering lots of help so if you choose not to use it that’s on you. And we do it for both support and enrichment.

Again, not saying it's a bad thing. Glad your kids are finding it useful and glad they did not experience learning loss. Not all can say that, and there's just more to it.

Can you describe the enrichment your kids are getting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school has started offering free in person tutoring by the teachers before and after school and I am SO grateful for it! You have to be identified as needing the tutoring, you can't just sign up. I'm so appreciative of the teachers that are doing this.

That’s amazing! Do you mind sharing which ES is this?

I signed up a week ago and am still waiting to get assign a tutor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait...are you telling us that MCPS-paid, on-grade-level, online tutoring aimed at catching students up from pandemic learning loss/keeping students from falling behind their baseline grade of study is not achieving the same results as family-paid, acceleration- & enrichment-oriented, in-person tutoring aimed at exposing students to more interesting/advanced concepts and improving test scores at the higher end?

Mind. Blown.

This is for everyone, or just those struggling. Stop blaming Covid. Kids have been in person two years now.

Blaming Covid? Get over yourself and accept that there was a learning impact from it. (Not yet) two years of in-person hasn't completely overcome the loss across the student population.

Not just for those struggling? Try getting that tutoring set up for enrichment -- something more than is offered in the curriculum for your kid's grade. At best you'll get varying acceptance across the school admins that need to approve. More likely you'll get a "that's not what this is for" reply. Sure, anyone can access it, but if it largely is constrained to that in which a student already is demonstrating mastery, what's the point?

I'm not saying having this isn't a good thing. Just that it isn't comparable to that accessible by high-SES families. A read-between-the-lines, there, with the nod to test scores is not to abolish those privately-accessed resources, but to make sure MCPS recognizes the continued dichotomy and adjusts policies accordingly. Like not relying on exposure-based test scores when determining suitability for enriched programming.

We are using the set use for several subjects. Are you? We have had a decent expand thankful for it.

My kids did not experience learning kids. We made sure of it. There are always kids struggling but Mcps is offering lots of help so if you choose not to use it that’s on you. And we do it for both support and enrichment.

Again, not saying it's a bad thing. Glad your kids are finding it useful and glad they did not experience learning loss. Not all can say that, and there's just more to it.

Can you describe the enrichment your kids are getting?

We picked the subjects we wanted tutoring in, applied for tutors and work with the tutors on what we and they think the kids need. You can use it for any subject and it can be used for enrichment. Tutors are hit or miss but you can always ask for a different one. Don’t rule it out without trying it. As a parent you cannot rely on mcps for many things so why not use the one resource they are offering.

[Anonymous]

We signed up in October and just heard last month, so it can take some time to get matched with an ongoing tutor. But the math tutor we got is really great and knows the content (Algebra 2) and is engaging and friendly. We feel very fortunate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who is paying for this though?

You and me! Taxpayer funded, baby!