Our Offerings
What differentiates Good Tutors from other tutoring programs is that we ask each student "What do you wish you could learn?"
Core Academics
Our goal is to ensure that every student is college and career-ready. We provide tutors who are able to help students with their homework as well as their overall understanding in each of the core subjects: English Language Arts, Math, Science, and History.
Book Clubs
Our books clubs are offered to students from kindergarten through middle school. They provide a fun environment where our students have a chance to read aloud and discuss books as a group. Our book clubs provide important social and emotional support where children from different schools and LA neighborhoods form friendships and look forward to seeing each other.
Some of the books our students have read recently include Wonder, Restart, The Lawnboy Series, The Capture Series, Magic Treehouse Series, Goosebump Series, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and more.
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.
- John Foley -Leader of the Monday Book Buddies Electives
Art & other Electives
Good Tutors offers elective classes, and we add new classes based on the interests of our students and their tutors. Currently, we offer art classes (clay work, painting, and drawing) to allow children to explore the fine arts. Good Tutors also offers cooking classes to expose students to various foods and cultures from around the world. We also offer fun exercise classes, yoga and meditation. There is almost always a literature component to all electives. Our goal is to provide elective programs that help to engage our students and inspire their own creative expression, and to open their eyes to new interests.
COLLEGE COUNSELING
Good Tutors believes that every student should be college-ready, and a key to increasing college matriculation is personalized college guidance. We provide volunteer college guidance counselors who get to know each student and family. They then guide them through navigating opportunities and the admissions process. This includes college search, essay writing, applications, and financial aid.
PUPPET SHOWS
Puppet shows are offered to our youngest students to excite them about story time. All kids are provided books (mailed to their homes) to follow along as they listen to the story teller. During each puppet show, children are introduced to social and emotional terms about understanding how to express their feelings, how to breathe, and stretch. We use puppetry to talk about our feelings and to enjoy in shared entertainment.
As Dr. Amy Cranston, Executive Director of SEL4CA.org , writes in her recent book, Creating Social and Emotional Learning Environments, “Educating students from a whole-child perspective is key and should be a priority in all K-12 educational policies and practices. SEL has the potential to mitigate inequities and narrow both the opportunity and achievement gaps by expanding students’ horizons and equipping them with the social agency needed to navigate successfully into adulthood. The ultimate goal of education should be to produce well- rounded, well-adjusted , compassionate, engaged citizens who redefine the meaning of success.” 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.
Sharla Lieberman- SEL tutor
ESL (ENglish as a second language)
Good Tutors offers adults access to group English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Our goal is help the parents of the students we are tutoring to improve their proficiency in the English Language. Our classes also offer adults help with high school equivalency tests/GED. All students will be provided with any materials needed for their learning. This is a conversational ESL class.
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!
Ralph Michiel - ESL tutor for adults