Peer tutoring now offered for students in need of assistance

Rhydian Talbot/Staff Writer

Junior Hanno Fenech assists students Monday and Thursday after school in the peer tutoring program. (Chandal Geerdes photo)

Collaboration Community, co-created by juniors Hannah Mallaro and Maya Amjadi, is a student tutoring group that aims to provide classwork assistance to peers by peers. Meeting Mondays and Thursdays after school in the library, select juniors and seniors provide their skills and insights to any fellow students seeking assistance in a variety of subjects.

The peer-assistance program is a product of an observation made in many different classroom settings. “We created it as a place to learn and collaborate because [Maya and I have] had people in classes that have needed help, so we thought it’d be good place for students to come together to help each other,” Mallaro said.

As a novel experience, the sessions place emphasis on allowing students to collaborate with their peers to foster a low-key learning environment. If unable to fully grasp a concept when first presented in the classroom, one-on-one assistance with a trusted classmate provides the same concepts in laymen terms, translating a difficult lesson into more manageable pieces. “It’s less intimidating for students to approach other students for help, and peers might be able to explain it in terms that are different from their teachers in order to provide another angle for understanding the material,” Mallaro said. Student communication serves as a springboard for students seeking classroom help, giving them the confidence to approach teachers directly for further assistance if needed.

All students are welcome to approach one of the student tutors for homework help in a variety of categories. At each session, four-to-six peer collaborators are available to answer questions in conceptual subjects like science and math as well as edit and provide immediate feedback on papers.

Collaboration Community meets until 4:30 every Monday and Thursday in the library. Refreshments are provided. For further information, please contact Hannah Mallaro, Maya Amjadi, or the counseling office.