What you might not know about after school and tutoring programs is that the benefits for kids go far beyond increasing both a struggling and a gifted student’s school grades. Additional advantages also include helping kids build confidence, grow communication skills, and be less stressed when in the classroom. That is, in addition to the two well-known benefits of helping remedial learners catch up and providing challenges to keep a gifted child interested. Programs like these have even been shown to lower truancy (school attendance) rates and increase graduation rates over time.

How Does After School Tutoring Benefit Students Who are Falling Behind?

If your child is struggling in an important subject like math or language arts (reading and writing), then tutoring is a proven go-to strategy. You can work with teachers to identify specific areas where a child needs help. Then find and afterschool tutoring class to get more-personalized learning, more targeted help that your student needs. Whether one on one, or teacher-led, small group program like ALOHA runs https://alohamindmath, your child’s needs won’t get lost like in a larger school classroom.

Does Tutoring Benefit Gifted Students?

Tutoring for an advanced or gifted learner can provide him or her with challenges which help a child stay engaged in the learning process, instead of “checking out” due to boredom. In schools, most teachers are required to stick with the basic material. And since Covid-19 accelerated learning losses, teachers may be catering more to the students who are struggling to keep up; leaving gifted students to fend for themselves.

Tutoring and after school programs can also assist advanced students in identifying interests to explore further. It can help them build on their strengths. Providing more challenging work can engage the mind in ways that make learning more satisfying for the gifted learner. When school is easy in the elementary years, gifted students may run into trouble when high school or college classes become more difficult. Tutoring can help give the exceptional learner a set of skills that will help him or her take future learning opportunities in stride.

Ancillary or Extra Benefits of After School and Tutoring Programs for all Kids

Develops Confidence: As the tutoring progresses those who are behind feel more confident and can catch up to their peers. This confidence grows from having a stronger foundation and grasp of the basics. And for the gifted learner, confidence in knowing they can learn new things with greater ease.

Increases Communication Skills: Interacting with an outside tutor/teacher or other children in a small-group afterschool setting can set your child up with better communication skills. It can be easier to ask a “dumb” question of a tutor or in an after school small group setting… when a child’s in-school peers aren’t around. Parents & teachers know there’s no such thing as a dumb question, but kids in a school classroom can feel shy asking what they think everyone else already knows. Away from their main teacher, and their friends, it can be easier to ask that question, and be able to ask follow-up questions until they really “get” it. Kids who become more comfortable asking questions can translate into a shyer child speaking up and being more involved in the school classroom. Sometimes gifted learners act up in school due to boredom, but having access to a tutor, mentor or outside of school learning opportunity can engage a child to both have better social skills and to be more self-directed in classroom learning.

Tutoring Helps Lessen Stress: Once issues or deficits have been identified, and corrected via tutoring, children will naturally feel less anxious and feel more confident. Both in their skills, and in their ability to learn. Feeling more secure in the basics reduces stress when a child is called on in class, and before tests, as they have their new skills and learning to fall back on. For gifted students, having an outlet for their interests, can help them settle into a classroom better too.

The Surprising, Long-Lasting Benefits of After School Programs from a 26-year Study

If you ask the question, is tutoring or after school programs right for my child? A long-term study looking at the effects of after school interactive programs showed that the benefits of these classes can be large and lasting. It showed that much more than just the type of benefits mentioned this article above story were realized. It also indicated that truancy rates dropped, and graduation rates increased among students who participated in after school learning programs that are interactive and teacher-led. They study also showed that social skills among students increased and that for kids who participated in after school programs over time experienced long-lasting benefits.

Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer, and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.