A new Wayne State University initiative will offer free tutoring for the children and dependents of employees and students. The tutoring program will be available virtually for K-12 students in a variety of age-appropriate subject matters. Weekly group sessions will be hosted throughout the summer, beginning Monday, July 12. Registration is now open online. 

Led by students in the College of Education, the one-on-one 30-minute tutoring sessions will focus on a range of subjects, including reading and writing, science, math, and test preparedness.

While the summer group sessions will include groups of 10-15 students, plans are in place to offer individual tutoring sessions in the fall. The initiative is the result of collaboration by the Office of the Provost, Academic Success Center and College of Education, with support from the Irvin D. Reid Honors College and Computing and Information Technology. Funding for tutors was provided by the College of Education and the Honors College.

“We’re always seeking ways to help our campus community, and we know that supplemental education support for parents is a growing need, especially as so many students have been learning remotely,” said Monica Brockmeyer, senior associate provost for student success. “Wayne State provides world-class education to our students, and the university is uniquely positioned to lead with authority and provide engaging, effective tutoring for younger students.”

The initiative was launched as a pilot in March 2021 to better understand the demand and needs for K-12 tutoring services. While conversations about the tutoring initiative began during the pandemic, the need to provide a service to build on the momentum created in classrooms and help combat summer learning loss is especially relevant after schools around the world have pivoted to online and hybrid teaching. Tutoring will be conducted in small groups over the summer to further engage students in learning and socialization with peers virtually.

Christine Huang, associate director of the Tutor Training Academy and peer assisted learning in the Academic Success Center, developed the infrastructure for the K-12 tutoring initiative, while a team of College of Education students in the Teacher Education division provided tutoring under the supervision of Dannielle McGuire, a recent doctoral graduate. Huang and McGuire anticipate a great deal of interest in the summer group sessions, and plans are in place to shift programming as K-12 schools resume in the fall.

“We are fortunate to have so many like-minded professionals on campus who are committed to teaching and learning, and to helping the next generation of students,” said Huang. “Support outside the classroom, around both curriculum and socialization, is key to success.”

While K-12 students will benefit from this initiative, it also provides an opportunity for future teachers studying at Wayne State.

“We are excited to be able to partner with the Academic Success Center to offer these tutoring sessions, which will benefit K-12 students as well as the next generation of teachers and leaders in education,” said Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, interim dean of the College of Education. “This initiative will offer Wayne State students real-world experience and preparation, while supporting the needs of our community.”

Learn more about the tutoring initiative online, or email k12tutoring@wayne.edu.