The Importance of Near-Peer Tutoring

Equity Scholar Education is a near-peer tutoring platform, meaning that students are taught by other students who may not be the same age, but are still students. There are four main reasons why we believe students need this style of education: academic benefits, social benefits, equity benefits, and tutor benefits. Before we start, though, let's dive deeper into the meanings behind near-peer.

What is Near-Peer Tutoring?

You've probably heard of peer-to-peer tutoring, where students are taught by their peers who are experiencing the same things they are. This can appear in many forms, like friends in class that help you with your homework, or, of course, Equity Scholar Education. Near-peer tutoring, on the other hand, is similar, but different in the way that tutors are still students, but merely older.

Benefits

Academic

Why does near-peer tutoring matter in this world anyway? There is a gap in the current education system, between what teachers teach and what students understand. Although most teachers are talented in what they do, there just isn't much time at hand for in-depth topics. Teachers have to teach to a diverse range of students in a class, often resulting in students not getting the education they deserve. This is where tutoring comes in, especially as academic pressure rises over time. However, there are still drawbacks to the current tutoring system.

Social

One of the main problems of current tutoring that peer-to-peer tutoring tries to solve is the age gap. Student-tutors stand out from adult-tutors in a way that they can relate better to their students. The advantages are, in fact, quite revolutionary. Students feel much more safe building a connection with the tutor, asking more and more questions than ever. Children generally socialize better with their peers, more willing to dive deeper. Traditional tutoring, on the other hand, requires students to first get used to talking with and being near the adult before finally getting much work done.

However, even now, there are still issues. The primary goal of tutoring is to enhance knowledge, but if students get too used to being around their student-tutors, a class can become a social event. Becoming friends with their tutors is an important mission to achieve that P2P tutoring does incredibly well, but it can also be overdone. If a class becomes too distracted from the topic, instead being a hang-out time, no work would be done.

This is the problem near-peer tutoring platforms address. We provide high school students as tutors, who are young enough to relate to their students but mature enough to maintain a professional relationship. Intimidation is reduced, and academic success is increased.

Equity

Another advantage our near-peer tutoring system brings about is the accessibility. As a volunteer-based program, students don't need to pay a large sum of money to get effective education. In fact, this entire system is free! The incentive high schoolers get instead is gaining volunteer hours, ensuring that students will still get quality education for no price at all. This is usually the advantage of a near-peer tutoring network, ensuring that all people have equitable access to education.

Equity Scholar Education has a different, unique stand-out point from other tutoring agencies as well. Beyond being completely free, we offer dedicated courses for students with learning needs, ensuring premium education for all people.

Equity is what makes our non-profit agency stand out (it's in our name, too). Giving all students an opportunity to learn is what we believe. Our goal is to help close gaps in education, ensuring that there is no bias in resource capabilities.

Tutors

The final benefit is for tutors. Because tutors in Equity Scholar Education are only students, by teaching topics they already know, they can also reinforce their knowledge in the subject. Beyond pure academics, tutors also grow in other skills, including the ability to teach, leadership, communication, and empathy. These skills are important for all industries, with various applications that tutors will find useful.

Summary

This balance, combined with accessibility, is why near-peer tutoring forms the foundation of Equity Scholar Education. As a volunteer-based program, financial barriers associated with tutoring are removed while quality is maintained with trained and motivated high school tutors. The result is a system designed to support learning, promote equity, and benefit both students and tutors alike.

This article was entirely made by authentic human students, no usage of AI. :)