NHS tutors train for new Saturday school program

by andrew crider

For the first time in eight years, the National Honor Society will tutor any student who needs additional help during Learn, after school, and during Saturday school. This new initiative is being led by senior Maggie Schumann.

According to assistant principal Dan Daus, the new integration of Saturdays and NHS tutoring will go a long way for the standard of tutoring.

According to Daus, this new activity is a recent development and a new responsibility for NHS members, and he applauded the initiative of tutoring volunteers.

“I credit Maggie Schumann and the NHS students,” Daus said.

The process for beginning the tutoring program began earlier this month when the NHS held a interest meeting for potential volunteers in the cafeteria.

IB English teacher Martha Noone has played a integral part in the new programs.

“I think it’s beneficial for students to learn from other students because a peer’s perspective can be helpful,” Noone said, adding that having high quality tutors meant that “some type of training is necessary” so that peer tutors are not doing the work for the tutees and so that tutors know how to provide effective support.

Noone hosted an NHS tutoring session Thursday after school and taught the will-be tutors how to teach most effectively.

For some, the addition of tutoring to Saturday school will make the process of learning easier, as communicating with fellow students does not have the same kind of communication barrier as communication with teachers.

Senior Amber Morrison, for instance, is one of those who prefer talking to her peers than teachers.
“I think it would be easier,” Morrison said when asked about what she thought of students tutoring in Saturday school.

“I would be able to ask more questions because it would be easier to talk to them,” Morrison said.