Good Tutors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our mission is to improve educational outcomes and encourage a love of learning for students in underserved communities by providing free 1:1 tutoring, tailored to cultivate each student's individual academic, social and emotional growth as well as their artistic and intellectual interests.
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What We Do
We provide free 1:1 virtual tutors to underserved students in the Los Angeles area. Our program supplements students' school-based learning. Volunteers help students with homework and language support, host group book clubs, and explore the arts. All tutors are background checked through Megan's Law, and tutoring takes place via Zoom. An empathetic heart, reliability, and subject proficiency are the principal requirements that we look for in our tutors.
The Difference
Good Tutors succeeds because we take the time to get to know each tutor, student and family. What differentiates Good Tutors from other tutoring programs is that we ask each student "What do you wish you could learn?" In addition to tutoring the core subjects, we figure out what makes each child tick. Our tutors are thoughtfully matched to fit the academic, social and emotional needs as well as the desires of each student to inspire a love of learning.
Our Vision
With over 70,000 volunteer tutoring hours to-date, Good Tutors currently serves 600 students per week within an equivalent number of volunteer tutors. Our goal is to scale our program until 100% of PreK-12 students living below the poverty line in L.A. county have access to volunteer tutors and college guidance. We will improve ELA proficiency, college matriculation, volunteerism, and social and emotional support. Tutoring will make college a reality for students who never thought it was possible.
We need volunteer tutors that inspire and motivate students to succeed!
SIGN UP TO GET A TUTOR
Good Tutors has been God sent to my family. They are absolutely amazing. They helped my kids get through quarantine without falling behind academically!! From tutoring my 5th grader in math to helping my daughter who's a senior in high school get her FAFSA and college applications in!! They also provided tutoring for my 7th grader and my two 9th graders of which one has an IEP!! Their tutors are absolutely amazing and always happy to help with a great big smile!! I will forever be grateful to Good Tutors and Tracy!!
-Adriana R.
Mom of 5
SIGN UP TO BE A VOLUNTEER TUTOR
Good Tutors will help to cultivate a love of learning of students Pre K-12th grade.
Good Tutors thrives to engage children in a love of learning, gaining social-emotional confidence along the way.
Good Tutors hopes to teach students new study skills and better learning habits, focusing on core subjects and electives, by providing ongoing mentorship and academic support through online tutoring.
Good Tutors will monitor the tutoring outcoming and academic well-being for each child in the program.
Good Tutors always onboards all tutors with tutoring resources to engage each student.
Good Tutors will have their choice to tutor for a semester of for the entire school year
Good Tutors offers a minimum of 1 hour of tutoring per week, with the flexibility of more hours, or tutoring multiple students.
There will be monthly check-ins with the director of Good Tutors via text.
Good Tutors are expected to be appropriate, responsible, and thoughtful at all times.
MEET SOME OF OUR 1,000+ TUTORS
JACK
Working with Good Tutors has been in incredible experience!
I have been working on reading and math with a 4th grader named Daniel for about a year now. It has been such a good experience to watch Daniel become more confident in his math abilities, and working with him is always the highlight of my week!
EMILY
I have had the most wonderful experience getting working with the Good Tutors Program. I am so proud to have worked for such a rewarding nonprofit that has allowed me to help younger kids struggling in school. I got the chance to help an amazing little second grader named Juliette for the last two years and getting to watch her gain confidence in her reading and writing has been such a fulfilling experience. I am so thankful to Tracy and glad that I have gotten the chance to help her run the tutoring club at my high school, Notre Dame, and found her more tutors to get take part in such a great experience.
KAILEY
Volunteering for Good Tutors has been a wonderful experience. Tracy has been helpful and supportive throughout, carefully matching me with a student and sending us books to read together. I will never forget the exhilaration I felt seeing a student I tutor grow from hating reading to proudly singing the words on the page. Each week, I look forward to meeting my students over Zoom, knowing that I make a positive impact in their lives and the joy that they bring me. I am thankful for the opportunity that Tracy and Good Tutors have given me.
Thank you!
MALIA
I’ve had such a great experience with the Good Tutors program!
Over the past academic year, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with and tutor a 7th grader in the LAUSD in both math and science. We created a weekly schedule that worked well for the both of us and would allow us to highlight the subjects she wanted to improve on most.
Initially, I was a bit nervous since I had never tutored before, however, with the support and resources provided by Tracy and the Good Tutors program, I became confident that I could be a strong tutor.
LINDA
I enjoy volunteering as a tutor with Good Tutors because it gives me the opportunity to teach and help my tutoree with her studies. It is very rewarding and fulfilling when I feel that I have been able to contribute to her understanding of what she is learning. Also, I enjoy connecting with her to assist in developing her self-confidence and in helping her recognize her natural talents.
AVA
At the beginning of the pandemic, I started volunteering with Good Tutors. Twice each week, I worked with a fourth grader on math, reading, and grammar. While at first shy and reticent, he grew tremendously over the following year and a half. As time went on, he suggested his own activities for lessons, unabashedly asked questions in moments of confusion, and even prepared an art project or toy to show me at the end of the Zoom session. He initially had preferred to communicate with me in Spanish, but his English skills improved so quickly that he soon felt comfortable reviewing concepts in either language. He consistently remarked in the middle of fraction exercises, “you know what? Math is fun!” At the end of each session, he always told me how excited he was for our next meeting. Working with Jorge has been one of my most meaningful experiences. Watching him fall in love with learning and having supported that process is something I will cherish forever! Moving forward, I hope to carry that love of learning wherever I go. I graduated from The University of Chicago this past spring and in July began a job as a litigation analyst at a Chicago law firm. I am excited to learn more in the professional field and hope to ultimately attend graduate school
JACK
Volunteering with Good Tutors has been such a wonderful and unforgettable opportunity for me! The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another, and being able to put my love of English and my math knowledge to good use by helping someone less fortunate than I am is such a gratifying experience, and to know I made an impact on my students’ understanding of certain concepts and overall love of learning is a feeling I simply cannot put into words. Good Tutors is a fantastic organization and I highly recommend volunteering with them; it’s more than worth it!
Elizabeth
I have absolutely loved volunteering with Good Tutors this year! I started working on math with two siblings last summer, one in third grade and one in fifth grade, in LAUSD. I've loved watching them grow over the last nine months and I'll miss our weekly Mad Libs and Kahoot games at the end of our sessions. Although I was worried about what virtual service would look like, I found that it is still possible to make connections and build relationships with kids via Zoom and that they need these connections now more than ever! I also discovered my love for tutoring and working with kids. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with my kids thanks to Good Tutors!
JOHN
I’ve been leading a book club with Good Tutors, and it’s been the high point of my weeks. I love meeting with my book buddies over Zoom and reading to them. We pause after every section or chapter to discuss any thoughts, predictions, questions, etc. First we did one of the “Vanderbeekers” books, then “A Wrinkle in Time.” I’m so excited to share even more great literature with these kids, introducing them to new voices, ideas, and adventures.
Ellie
I am very grateful for my time at Good Tutors. The on-boarding process is simple: Do you want to impact a student’s academic and life experiences in an engaging and informative way? If your answer is yes, this program lays the groundwork for dedicated tutors. It certainly did for me.
RENI
Although I started volunteering with Good Tutors so that I could help a younger student learn, I quickly found myself learning about how to tackle the challenges of online school and connect on a deeply emotional level with a child via Zoom. Before I began tutoring Sofia, Tracy provided us both with white boards to use during our sessions and made herself available as a source for any other supplies we would want. Her support allowed us to thrive at a time when most programs are extremely limited. While I had no idea what would come out of the online tutoring process, I certainly did not expect the amazing friendship I would form with a second grade girl who I now liken to a sister.
Tutoring Sofia opened my eyes to the reality of being an elementary school student during a global pandemic, of trying to have socially-distanced playdates and learn basic algebra without the support of a classroom. Sofia always challenges me to educate creatively and be persistent, and we often try different learning strategies to see what works best for her. I never feel like I am teaching because I am always learning with Sofia, and it truly feels like we are a team as we navigate her online assignments, or even just exchange stories and draw pictures. Throughout my time tutoring Sofia, I have also become close with her mother, and her mom has become a parenting role model to me. I look so forward to my tutoring sessions every week and feel entirely lucky that Good Tutors has provided me an outlet to volunteer in an impactful way with a family that I have grown to love. I look forward to remaining involved for as long as I can!
ADRIANA
I enjoyed being a tutor for Good Tutors over this past academic year!
It has been a challenging year for students, especially younger ones, to adjust to the online learning style. I was going through these changes with my own academic courses, which helped me to better understand the students I was tutoring. In addition, equipped with the tools and resources from Good Tutors, I supported the students as they progressed in math, science, and English while in this program. I’m confident these students have a bright future ahead!
Let me know if you would prefer I email that to you. Thank you again for organizing this great program for LAUSD students!
TYRONE
I enjoy being a Math tutor because I’ve always enjoyed the beauty of Math. As a tutor, I get to connect the dots for my students, and I find great satisfaction in that! To hear “I get it now” or “this actually isn’t that hard” is like music to my ears.
Most people fear Math, because of the stigma around Math, but Math doesn’t have to be hard. I always say Math is English and happily show my students why I say that.
Being a tutor with Good Tutors has been seamless. They provide the resources I need and the flexibility I want so that I can still do all the other things I love beside tutoring. It’s been a great experience so far!
TALIA
Good Tutors has been such an amazing experience. Teaching my student is always the highlight of my week. She is so kind and thoughtful and I really enjoy our time together.
Good Tutors gives us independence because we get to choose our own time and day(s) to meet. We also choose the topics/subjects to focus on in each session. Tracy also makes herself available for anything. She has provided us with whiteboards to make online learning easier, and sends us books that focus on what my student is interested in.
This has been an amazing experience and I look forward to seeing how my student continues to grow.
SRIHITHA
I love helping others and Good Tutors is an amazing organization that provides for those in need! As a high school student I understand the difficulties of distance learning, but cannot imagine the struggles that younger children are facing nowadays. I loved going to school as a kid and feel bad that this younger generation cannot get the same experiences I did. Simply sitting and watching a lecture is very difficult for children so Good Tutors makes learning engaging and fun! It is super exciting to make new friends and use my knowledge to improve someone else’s self-confidence. :)
JENNA
Jenna is a sophomore at Occidental College. She has experience working with students K-5 for the past five years working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula in the Bay Area. She began tutoring with Good Tutors in March 2020 where she was able to help a student pass her English Language Proficiency Assessment. Her student has now started middle school and moved up to honors classes. Working one on one with this student for the past year has been a rewarding experience.
“Working with Sherrilyn over the past year was one of the highlights of my quarantine; I was able to continue my Leo of educating kids from the comfort of my own home. I felt like I was able to be a mentor to my student across subjects which made Good Tutors feel unique from other organizations”.
ALEX
Hello my name is Alex Davis and I am a Junior in college and I am majoring in environmental studies with a minor in special education in hopes to become a teacher one day! I have always loved working with children in and out of the classroom making learning fun and engaging! Working with Good Tutors this year has been an absolute blast and am looking forward to the years ahead! Happy studying :)
LINDSEY
I have loved working with Good Tutors.
Transitioning to online school can be difficult, and I'm glad that I've been able to connect with and support students in their academic and personal journeys during this time.
I look forward to the day when in-person tutoring can happen again, but until then, am grateful for the opportunity that Good Tutors has provided to connect students and volunteers.
ZOE
After working with my student for almost a year now, I can confidently say that Good Tutors is an amazing program. Good Tutors provides incredible resources and support that allow me to create a fun learning environment. I’ve loved watching my student grow and begin to master topics that were once foreign to her. Volunteering for Good Tutors has been such a unique and rewarding experience!
SAM
I have been thanked on multiple occasions and from various sources for tutoring 2 young men (ages 5 and 10). But I am the one who feels grateful for the opportunity.
Just like gifts, it is truly more precious to give than receive.
I enjoy the time, glad to share knowledge, and I'm confident that I am doing something that is not only enjoyable, positively impactful and maybe even making the world a little better than I found it.
I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything!
ELIZA
I have loved volunteering with Good Tutors and look forward to tutoring my students each week! Good Tutors really makes sure the tutor is a good match for the student and they provide any additional support or materials that we may need. I would definitely recommend Good Tutors to any student needing additional help.
SAMMY
Working with Ari is always the highlight of my week.
It’s so great to help someone who enjoys learning and build a friendship through the process. Giving back, in such a hands on interactive way, has such an impact on the lives and educational journeys of these kids.
Giving them specific time for just the two of us is so helpful for her and makes me so happy to see her learn!
WILL
I hope my students learned as much from me as I did from them. Mentorship will always be something I hold in high regard, and this experience has echoed that. Being able to guide and stimulate the intellectual curiosity of young, underserved minds is an opportunity like no other. The most rewarding feeling in the world is observing a positive and tangible difference in the lives of those you set out to help and I feel the most rewarded.
COLLEEN
As a teacher and parent, I knew that the best way to help students during this pandemic was to provide consistent academic support. In June of 2020, I looked for a program that would connect me to students, and I found Good Tutors. Shortly after, we established a book club.
For almost a year, my students and I have met every week via Zoom. We have read several books together: discussing the characters, plot points, figurative language, and vocabulary during our meetings. The students make strong connections to their own lives as we read, and these connections have yielded powerful conversations.
Beyond the academic benefits, my students and I have built a virtual community, connected through literature and a love of reading. I look forward to Saturday mornings when we meet virtually to read, discuss, and share our passion for books.
Thank you, Good Tutors!
CARLEY
Hello! I’m a Tutor with Good Tutors. I am working with, a 7th grade student. The student is a stellar math and science student who struggles with reading.
We have dedicated multiple hours together a week to reading The Phantom Tollbooth together. We also enjoy playing hangman over zoom during our sessions.
I’m excited to continue working with my student!
SCOTT
Good Tutors has connected me with 2 students during quarantine. Each week I look forward to the hour I get to spend with each of them. I get to help them with any academic problems they have or provide support to them as a friend.
RUTH
Hello! I am a first-year Political Science major and Spanish minor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. I enjoy visiting new coffee shops and restaurants, hanging out at the beach, and hiking!
The impact my student has had on me has changed my life and I only hope to have had this much significance in her’s. Being a Good Tutor has taught me skills like time management, responsibility, and patience, all things I will carry on with me for the rest of my life.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time being a Good Tutor and hope to continue this beneficial work in years to come.
JENNIFER
My tutor experience with Good Tutors has been amazing. The flexibility and accommodation that Tracy provides is so helpful, especially as a busy college student. The matching process, where you are paired with a student who has needs in your specified expertise areas, was very smooth. My student was eager to learn and share which made my tutoring experience much greater than anticipated.
KENYON
I live with my parents, my little sister, and my 4-year old German shepherd in Los Angeles. I participate in my school’s competitive orchestra as well as the varsity basketball team.
Being part of the Good Tutors program has been a special and fulfilling experience. Like many of the tutors in the program, I have been with the same kids my entire time, and formed a personal connection with them. My favorite part of the program is the opportunity to help students achieve their potential in the broader community outside of my school.
THELMA
I'm a current Child Development major student at West LA College!
I'm so thankful for the opportunity to volunteer with Good Tutors. It has given me the opportunity to help kindergarten school age kids during the pandemic improve their reading and math skills.
I'm completing my practicum hours in order to receive my permit as an Early Childhood educator. I advise anyone who is looking to help kids or receive professional experience to join this wonderful organization.
RALPH
My Tuesday's and Thursdays are my special days. That's when I have the opportunity to HELP people with special needs. Tracy Grand creates various programs for tutors, such as myself to teach basic subjects. In my case, I teach students to speak and write English correctly. It's called English as a second language (ESL).
I get to interact with non- English speaking men and women who want to improve their communication skills. We do this through ZOOM. It's thrilling, exciting and rewarding to help people who are challenged with the English language.
I tell my students it's akin to having the key to open the door, rather than breaking it down. Communication is taken for granted by most of us however, if your message cannot be understood the frustration can be extreme. I LOVE WHAT I DO, it is more rewarding than I ever thought! And you will love it too! Thank you Tracy!
BRITTNEY
Good Tutors has opened my eyes to the large opportunity gap for students not just around the world, but in my own backyard. As a tutor, I have been able to provide much needed support and watch my students grow in their abilities and self confidence. One girl I work with had missed many foundational years of education from an unstable living situation, and was in a pre algebra class despite just learning multiplication. In the year I have worked with her, I have watched her creatively find solutions to complex algebra problems despite her gaps in learning. I have helped her logically understand each new math concept, find workarounds, and succeed all while memorizing her multiplication tables.
I’m not sure who has learned more, the student or me, but I am proud to say I have met one of the most resilient and naturally brilliant girls I know. Plus, she’s got those tables down cold!
I also work with a book club, practicing oral reading skills with the book series I was obsessed with as a kid, and I have just taken on another girl in essay writing.
While I always could turn to my parents or parents of friends or paid tutors when I was confused in school, these students do not have easily accessible help. I joined Good Tutors because I saw an opportunity to connect resources. With just a phone or a computer (many of whom did not have one until the COVID-19 situation), students gain improved access to education, while tutors like me gain an increased understanding of existing inequities in the world, inspiration, and quite frankly, get to meet some amazing young kids.
JESSICA
I have loved being a volunteer for Good Tutors because it’s so rewarding to see my students improve their reading skills over time! Watching them become more and more confident in themselves each week is such an amazing feeling while pursuing my own passion of teaching and learning.
MAGGI
Hi! I am a Freshman Screenwriting Major at Loyola Marymount University. I am from Faribault, MN, and I was a figure skater for fifteen years. I took American Sign Language from 8th-12th grade, and I was fortunate enough to work with first graders twice a week at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf my Senior year of high school.
I have been able to use my education to help students in the neighboring Los Angeles area who are taking American Sign Language. One of the highlights of being a part of Good Tutors is that I have been able to work with a variety of kids, which has challenged me to creatively approach subjects in different ways because no one kid is alike.
Overall, Good Tutors has been a wonderful place for me to connect with kids in hopes of fostering their passion for learning while pursuing my own passion of teaching and learning.
SHARLA
Because most instruction is now on zoom, I have been doing volunteer puppet shows with 2 local kindergartens. The 30 minute show consists of an SEL story, music and racially diverse puppets which communicate and include themes of kindness, tolerance responsibility and integrity.
VANESSA
Good Tutors has been such an amazing experience. I enjoyed being a tutor for Good Tutors over this past months. Tutoring was the highlight of my week. It was a great Pleasure helping my students. Thank you, for the opportunity Tracy.
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