How to Stop the COVID Learning Slide

One-on-one tutoring could be the solution to learning loss caused by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic

The world’s educational systems are facing unprecedented challenges this year as they attempt to respond to the significant and consequential  learning loss caused by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. 

What’s causing the downslide?  The answer is obvious: remote learning and hybrid learning.

The COVID-19 slide is similar to the summer slide, earlier identified by educational experts nationwide.  But now, with the pandemic raging out of control, remote learning is causing this learning loss all year round

In fact, the erosion of learning has been documented in results of many formative assessments conducted this fall. For example, data from the Curriculum Associates i-Ready platform found that students in sampled learning groups mastered only 67% of the math taught and 87% of the reading, writing, and language arts instruction taught.

A concurrent problem concerns the burdens placed on parents and caregivers as they try to manage their students’ schedules, online learning platforms, their own work schedules, and the family’s and the students’ anxiety

 What can you do right now to help stop your child’s COVID-19 learning loss?

Hire a tutor. The Center for American Progress is about to hire a whole fleet of tutors to combat the learning loss from the year of the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic.

How can a tutor help?

Tutors provide expert, one-on-one educational support systems that can help manage, support, and advance children’s learning while they concurrently support parents as they struggle to manage the multiple burdens levied by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Qualified tutors work with you and your child to identify learning gaps and areas warranting remediation. After, an expert tutor specializes, modifies, and facilitates remote learning to ensure that the student doesn’t just get by but actually enhances and enriches her/his learning. In addition, by engaging with students in a positive way, a tutor can provide a positive learning environment that is difficult to attain in a remote classroom or online learning platform.

Tutoring support is especially useful in terms of language arts instruction and essay writing as good writing skills are essential to both learning and professional success. 

“Our son says his tutoring session with Alana goes by so quickly he can’t believe it’s been an hour. He is always in a positive happy mood after class. It’s hard to believe it’s remote learning!”

— Monica K., parent of 5th grader

Is your child struggling with remote learning? Does your child need online writing support? Call us!

Dr. Osborn works with students from all over the world via Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, phone, and Google docs to help them reach their independent, college, and graduate school goals. Through a personal, one-on-one approach, Dr. Osborn creates an individualized curriculum for each student based on the student’s strengths, passions, and college aspirations. Her holistic approach helps students perform well in school and win admission to the Ivy League and other competitive colleges.  

About The Author
Susan Osborn, Ph.D., has spent 30 years in higher education, in admissions at Vassar College, in the English department and Writing Program at Rutgers University, in the lab at The New Jersey Center for Research on Writing, and as a private tutor. Dr. Osborn is also an award-winning writer and scholar and she brings both her education smarts and her writing smarts to every student relationship.

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