Our Backstory
Learning Pals was founded in September 2020 in response to the pandemic. Online learning was a struggle for all students and teachers, but the burden certainly fell heavier on younger students who had particularly difficult circumstances. Language barriers, parents who are unable to help with school during the day, and social isolation can seriously hinder a student's education.
At the same time, many high school students had a couple hours in their week that were previously filled with commuting or extracurricular activities that had been cancelled. It is so easy to get on a video call (zoom, google meet, etc.), and many high school students were eager to do so to help younger students.
During its first year, Learning Pals recruited, selected and trained 120 high schoolers to serve as tutors. By partnering with several NYC public elementary and middle schools, we paired each tutor with a K-8 student in need of academic assistance and social support. During the year, we added group activities and book clubs, keeping kids engaged and having fun.
As summer 2021 approached, Learning Pals discovered that many of our students had no real summer plans and faced another summer of isolation. We snapped to action and planned an online summer camp that served 140 kids for 10 weeks of programming. See Summer!
As New Yorkers returned to school in September 2021, Learning Pals realized that, even with in-person learning, our job was not done. As a city, we are still learning what the full impact of the pandemic has been on K-8 students, including learning loss, socialization challenges, and mental illness. From our perspective, we already know the impact is significant and we are determined to keep up our work. Learning Pals will continue providing free one-on-one tutoring, book clubs, and opportunities for high schoolers and K-8 students to connect and create friendships, building on the work we started last year.
At the same time, many high school students had a couple hours in their week that were previously filled with commuting or extracurricular activities that had been cancelled. It is so easy to get on a video call (zoom, google meet, etc.), and many high school students were eager to do so to help younger students.
During its first year, Learning Pals recruited, selected and trained 120 high schoolers to serve as tutors. By partnering with several NYC public elementary and middle schools, we paired each tutor with a K-8 student in need of academic assistance and social support. During the year, we added group activities and book clubs, keeping kids engaged and having fun.
As summer 2021 approached, Learning Pals discovered that many of our students had no real summer plans and faced another summer of isolation. We snapped to action and planned an online summer camp that served 140 kids for 10 weeks of programming. See Summer!
As New Yorkers returned to school in September 2021, Learning Pals realized that, even with in-person learning, our job was not done. As a city, we are still learning what the full impact of the pandemic has been on K-8 students, including learning loss, socialization challenges, and mental illness. From our perspective, we already know the impact is significant and we are determined to keep up our work. Learning Pals will continue providing free one-on-one tutoring, book clubs, and opportunities for high schoolers and K-8 students to connect and create friendships, building on the work we started last year.
Language
Our aim to help as many kids as possible is not limited by language. Our tutors speak many languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Polish, French, Tibetan, Albanian, German, Italian, Cantonese, Gujarati, Hindi, Hebrew, Bengali, Macedonian, Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesia, Russian, and Burmese.
FAQ's
What is the cost of the program?
All tutoring is free! Our tutors are high school volunteers. We only ask that you fill out our feedback forms so we can improve the program.
Do you give extra work or only help with homework?
We primarily help with with school work, but if students need help with a specific topic, tutors are happy to offer extra practice problems. We do not have our own curriculum, and may use websites such as Khan Academy for practice problems. At this time, we do not do test prep.
What is Calendly?
Calendly.com is the scheduling service we use. Each tutor has a page where they input the times they are free, and families can then click on a date and a time in order to schedule a meeting. Once a time slot is selected, you can note which topics the student would like to cover and how long you would like the session to be. This system has worked very well for most of our tutors, but if you need help with it, we are happy to walk you through it. If easier, we can schedule meetings over email and text instead.
I don't use email. Can parents communicate with tutors by text/WhatsApp?
Yes! You can select your preferred method of communication and language on our Sign Up Form.
Can parents communicate with tutors in languages other than English?
Yes! Please indicate preferred language on our Sign Up Form. The form is available in English, Español, and 普通话。
Do you have tutors who speak other languages?
Yes! Our tutors speak many languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, Polish, French, Tibetan, Albanian, German, Italian, Catonese, Gujurati, Hindi, Hebrew, Bengali, Macedonian, Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian, Russian, and Burmese.
Do you have opportunities for students to socialize in groups?
Yes! We provide virtual Group Classes, Games, and Clubs. Please check out the group meetings schedule and sign up with the links in the chart. Your child does not need to be receiving tutoring to participate in the group meetings.
Do you have book clubs?
Yes! We are excited to launch our first Book Club this month for 4th and 5th graders. (3rd graders who are able are also welcome.) We will be reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, one of our favorites. Each participant will receive a free book and we will all get to meet the author, Chris Grabenstein, on a special zoom at the end! Book Club Sign Up Form.
Is Learning Pals affiliated with a particular school?
Learning Pals is an independent project started by Jane Curry, a junior at NEST+m in Manhattan. She was quickly supported in her efforts by Maggie Miller, a junior at Hunter College High School, and Jack Alberto, a junior at Brooklyn Tech. Learning Pals currently has more than 85 tutors from a variety of high schools in NYC, including NEST+m, Brooklyn Tech, Hunter College High School, Beacon High School, and Millennium Brooklyn. Thanks to the magic of virtual learning, we also have several tutors from outside the city, in Washington D.C. and Indiana!
Does my child have to be a NYC public school student to receive tutoring?
Currently, we are prioritizing NYC public school students for tutoring, and especially those who are recommended for tutoring by a teacher. If your student lives out of NYC or is not in a public school, feel free fill out the Sign Up Form and we will match your student with a tutor if we are able.
Do you have opportunities for my child to practice English?
Yes! Our tutors can provide one-on-one English practice, chatting, playing games, reading together, and/or watching funny videos and discussing them. We also provide Group Classes, Games and Clubs which is a great place for English Language Learners to practice in an informal and fun environment.
I am a teacher and I have a number of students who would benefit from tutoring. Can I sign up multiple students?
Yes! If you are a teacher or school administrator, please Contact Us by email. We'd love to establish a tutoring partner program with your school. We currently partner with several NYC public elementary schools including P.S.10 and P.S.169 in Brooklyn, and Hunter Elementary in Manhattan.
How do you choose your tutors? Do they receive training?
Tutors apply to be part of Learning Pals by submitting a teacher reference and attending an interview, usually after attending an informational session to learn about the program. If accepted, tutors are then paired with a student. Each tutor has a coordinator who checks in regularly to make sure communications with the students and families is going smoothly and to help troubleshoot any issues the tutor or student may be having. Learning Pals also provides on-going training sessions on a variety of topics for tutors.
