Fall is approaching at a seemingly rapid rate (how can it be the end of July already?) Soon parents (and teachers) will be receiving back-to-school letters in the mail. The aisles of binders, notebooks and pencils have already been revealed at many stores (hey, where is the sunscreen and flotation devices...huh?).
My families have been enjoying some easier, less regimented days this summer, but are already asking about Back-to-School scheduling beginning in September.
I feel that I need to say this out loud: Parents do have a lot of agency when it comes to specialized tutoring services for their children during the school day.
Most tutors can stay plenty busy in the afterschool hours, typically between 3:00 and 6:00 pm. These time slots get snapped up quickly.
My online tutoring services make it possible for early morning hours as well...which can be great for early, morning-functional families. I can start sessions at 7:00 am PST.
I have recently witnessed an increase in tutoring sessions being possible in the 9:00 - 2:00 pm range as well. Homeschooled students are in general more flexible. However, many public or private school parents are requesting that their children be allowed to tune in with me remotely from school...and if not possible, are checking them out from school at an opportune time so that they can attend tutoring sessions, perhaps from home over lunch, two days per week.
Some have also arranged for late arrivals and early release at times when students are not missing out on core classes (or at least tuning in during their language arts segment of the day). Of course, all of this depends on the age and capabilities of the child.
It is possible to have specialized tutoring for your private or public-schooled child during the daytime hours. One must be prepared to have a conversation with educational personnel; in a respectful yet forthright way. One that promotes the importance of receiving the style of tutoring that has proven to result in the ability to read proficiently. And often, they are not receiving what they need in a mainstream school arena.
I am not making a rebel cry; just simply sharing what I see as possible. We often don't want to rock the boat, and we can feel a bit intimidated by the powers that be. It is definitely worth some investigation on your part. "Pulling the parent card" can carry some weight and agency. It is for a very important cause. Cheers to the rest of summer!
Testing