Rising up: Helping children in Pittsburgh—What you can do

2022 | Written by Faith Schantz, Report Editor

One of the most effective strategies for helping children make large learning gains is consistent, frequent, one-on-one or small group tutoring. Tutoring has been recommended nationally and locally to address unfinished learning due to the pandemic, but currently, there aren’t enough tutors to meet the need. If you have considered becoming a tutor or a mentor for a Pittsburgh child, here are some guidelines to help you understand what’s involved.

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Providers Pittsburgh has a wide variety of tutoring providers that serve a range of grade levels and areas of the city. Some providers send tutors into schools, and some offer tutoring during their own or other providers’ after-school programs. Some offer in-person tutoring, some virtual only. Some pay their tutors, others use volunteers. Most provide free training and ongoing support.

Clearances You will be required to obtain a criminal record check, child abuse clearance, and an FBI Criminal History Report or a signed PA Resident form and waiver (stating that you have lived in PA for at least 10 years). The provider you choose will guide you through this process, and may have additional requirements. Find PPS-specific information here.

What tutors do Depending on the program, a tutor’s role can range from reading to a child, to helping with homework, to helping a student master targeted concepts or skills. In general, these are the key skills tutors need and the actions they need to take to make an impact, based on nationally recognized best practices and local insights.

• Take responsibility for building a relationship with the child. “Effective tutoring is anchored in relationships,” says Sarah Scott Frank, founder of OpenLiteracy. Deborah Luckett, associate executive director of ASSET, adds, “It’s hard to want to learn or spend time with somebody if you don’t know who they are.”

• Collaborate with the child. Part of building a relationship involves working with students to understand their needs and to set goals together. Compared to simply following an adult-created plan, students learn more when they feel empowered and have a sense of ownership, Luckett says.

• Create a safe space for taking risks and making mistakes. According to Frank, students should know that “the person working with them believes in them as learners, views them as capable, and is willing to support them if they fail,” because mistakes are important parts of the learning process.

• Be flexible. Tutors adapt to students’ needs, rather than the other way around.

• Be willing to learn. Enthusiasm is fine, says Frank, but “some content knowledge matters, especially when working with beginning readers.” For example, OpenLiteracy trains their tutors, who are college students, on a range of technical reading skills and on how to set up math problems that allow students to show their understanding. Find a free, self-paced tutor training portal here.

• Make a commitment and keep to the schedule. To have an impact, tutoring should take place consistently over many months. Frank points out that tutors build trust with parents when they are organized and manage all of the logistics of tutoring skillfully.

Finding a fit As an alternative to volunteering with a provider, you may volunteer directly in your child’s school. Guidance on volunteering within the district can be found here. For other opportunities, start with the Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative’s list of partners.

A sampling of providers currently seeking volunteers:

• Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Volunteers aged 50+ engage in literacy activities with students in grades K-4 once a week. Find more information here. To sign up, contact John Spehar at jdspehar@oasisnet.org, or 412-393-7648.

• Latino Community Center See the range of volunteer opportunities and sign up here. (Tutors are not required to speak Spanish fluently but it helps if a tutor has a background in Spanish or another language.) For a glimpse of the tutoring program in action, see this snapshot.

• Reading is Fundamental Pittsburgh RIF Everybody Wins! literacy mentors meet one hour a week with students in grades K-3 to read together and engage in literacy activities. Sign up to volunteer here.