Since the COVID-19 outbreak last spring, distance learning has posed challenges for students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The school district data shows an increase in failing grades in math and English classes, and many students have been struggling to keep up with their schoolwork. In response, MCPS has prioritized finding innovative ways to tackle the challenges of the new education system.
Recently, MCPS announced its partnership with TutorMe, an online resource conveniently accessible through MCPS student Canvas and StudentVUE accounts. It offers free online tutoring and homework help services. The award-winning platform, which has been available to grades three through 12 students since Feb. 1, is notable for connecting students with highly qualified tutors, usually in seconds.
TutorMe is featured with a wide range of tutors with different expertise and backgrounds, most of whom are current college students or recent graduates, covering over 300 subjects. After students select a subject, a list of tutors and their profiles will appear. They can message the tutors they are interested in. “I love that you can match a tutor or message them ahead of time and get to know the vibe of the tutor before you make a commitment. This allows learning to be grounded in trust and respect,” Tilden Middle School teacher Andrea Buckley said.
Once students select a tutor to start a virtual lesson, they can communicate with tutors using video/audio as well as text chat. Students can also upload documents, edit papers and use a virtual whiteboard during the lesson. “It’s helpful to have all of those [features] in one space. For example, if there were a math problem, they could go on the whiteboard,” Buckley said.
The assistance provided on TutorMe aligns with the MCPS curriculum. There are also standardized test tutoring options, such as the SAT and ACT. “For many of those high school tests, like the AP tests or the SATs, there are tutoring services available, but it’s expensive,” Buckley said. “I remember myself having to pay a lot of money out of pocket for SAT classes when I was in high school. It’s nice that the service can be available to not just students who can afford it, but to all students.” Buckley encourages high schoolers to take advantage of this free resource.
TutorMe is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. In distance learning, it may be harder for some students to reach out to teachers, who are not available at all hours of the day. Students can access a tutor on TutorMe at any time. “TutorMe is beneficial for teens and adolescents that have widely different sleep schedules,” Buckley said.
In addition, the tutors are from many different areas of the globe, bringing diverse experiences and perspectives. Buckley saw this as a great opportunity for students to improve their abilities in interacting with others. “Interacting with people who you would typically have no interaction with could be beneficial. And we wouldn’t have had that opportunity if we weren’t in the stay-home Covid environment that we’re in right now,” Buckley said.
When asked if she would recommend the TutorMe service for students, Buckley replied enthusiastically. “Absolutely!” Buckley said. “Students should never hesitate to ask their own teachers for questions, but anytime they are looking for more help or support, this would be a really good place to start.”
More information on how students can access the TutorMe service can be found on TutorMe.com and MCPS access directions.
Article by Allison Xu of Walter Johnson High School
Graphic by Ha-Tien Nguyen of Winston Churchill High School