​helping hands​:
A Students for Students Movement Inc.
Tutoring
Lesson by Lesson.... Impact to Change
The term "equity of opportunity" describes a state of society that is driven by the idea of economic and social mobility for all. However, this is far from reality. A prominent factor driving this debilitating reality is the educational disparities that run rampant around the world. Far too often, underprivileged and low-income students are put at a significant disadvantage when it comes to educational resources and opportunities that are available. In fact, in 2011, the US Department of Education released a study that reported 45 percent of high-poverty schools received less state and local funding than was typical for other schools in their district. This disparity translates into lower performance as exhibited by the looming achievement gap and lower rates of college attendance and completion among minorities and low-income students. With the Helping Hands: A Students for Students INC initiative, our goal is to promote great opportunities for those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. Tutors work side-by-side with students and guide them in their journey to success.
Our Programs
To provide more substantial educational resources to underprivileged students, Helping Hands partners with underperforming schools to provide group tutoring and 1-on-1 tutoring by Helping Hands Volunteers. In order to best help these students, tutoring is individualized to fit the needs of the age group and curriculum taught in the classroom.
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Pre-K Tutoring
Our Pre-K tutoring program focuses on building basic skills to help prepare young students for entering elementary school. These topics can include basic literacy/reading skills; color, shape, letter and number recognition; social skills (kindness, teamwork, expression, attention); fine motor skills and more. Often students in this age group lack these basic skills that are crucial to their early educational success in elementary school. By working with these younger students, Helping Hands Volunteers are able to prepare them for success in their formal educational journey.
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Elementary School Tutoring
The Helping Hands Elementary Tutoring program focuses on helping elementary students develop a firm grasp on general core curriculum topics presented in school (Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc.). For younger students, these tutoring sessions may focus on reading and basic arithmetic skills and progress towards more complex topics such as long division and life sciences. The goal of the Elementary School Tutoring Program is to enrich the early foundational education students receive from grades K-5. Moreover, tutors seek to develop students' problem-solving/critical thinking skills, responsibility, collaboration/communication skills, initiative and other vital character skills.
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Middle/High School Tutoring
As students enter into middle school and high school, they are exposed to more complex and specialized topics/courses. At this level, our tutoring efforts will adapt to the unique curriculum students learn in school. Moreover, we ensure that students can access adequate support in different topics by require our volunteers to have completed advanced coursework in these areas and specialize in particular subject.
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Test-Preparation Tutoring
Standardized testing is crucial for students seeking higher education. Our test-preparation tutoring will help provide underprivileged students with the support that they need in order to improve upon their standardized testing skills. Our tutors help students review their English, Reading, Math, and Science skills to perform on the SAT or ACT.