SAR’s peer tutoring program has successfully completed its third year. This past week, 145 devoted tutors in math and science celebrated their accomplishment with an end-of-year thank you party. SAR’s peer tutoring program provides tutors with training, matches tutees with a tutor who took that class or similar class and collects weekly feedback. This program not only creates hundreds of free hours of tutoring for students and saves thousands of dollars for families, but it builds wonderful relationships between tutors and tutees.

The statistics are proof. Ninety-seven percent of tutors agreed that they enjoyed working with their peer tutee and 95% agreed that the program built their confidence. Eighty percent of tutees were pleased to report that after working with their tutor, their grades improved.

“I saw the real success of the program at the ice cream party when Liat, a junior, approached me and asked if I could recommend a student for her to volunteer to tutor during the summer. This program is not mandatory nor do SAR students receive chesed hours. The students volunteer to tutor because they truly enjoy and grow from the experience,” said Leah Bader, SAR’s peer tutor coordinator and founder of the peer tutoring program, Eshkolēt. “Given the current teacher shortage, I’m also hoping this program helps create future teachers.” To that point, almost 70% of tutors agreed with the statement, saying they would consider teaching opportunities in the future.