Students are Paid $6.69 an Hour and Must Tutor in the Presence of an Adult Who Can Verify How Time Was Spent

Introduction / How Peer Tutoring Works / Tutor Training / Students' Stories / Resources

How peer tutoring works
     Peer Tutoring is an official activity when Boise State University's TRIO leaders write grants to continue their pre-college Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs. 
     High achievers, students getting As and Bs, are invited to train as tutors for peers in subjects in which they excel. They tend to be juniors and seniors. Their Upward Bound teachers, who share in managing the program, who encourage students to enter the peer-tutoring program, also look for students skilled at interacting with other students, and good at communicating. 
     
Pay and conditions for tutoring
     Students are paid $6.69 an hour for tutoring, which must be in the presence of an adult who can verify how the time was spent. The verifying adult can be a librarian, staff member or parent.
     Tutors can offer their services for any subject in which they excel. Student peer tutors are responsible for marketing themselves, either informally by word of mouth, or with posters. One tutor's poster reads: "Math, Science, English tutoring Tuesdays and Thursdays in the School Library, 3 to 4 p.m.; other times by appointment." 
     Also, the BSU TRIO leaders help by sending out to parents lists of tutors, their home phone numbers,  the school they attend, and their best subjects for tutoring. 
     During summer Upward Bound intensive programs at BSU, tutors are available during daily study table times. 

Average time for 25 tutors is 5 to 10 hours a week for $33 to $66 
    
In all 20 peer tutors serve the BSU's pre-college TRIO programs at Caldwell, Homedale, Melba, Nampa, Notus, Parma, Vallivue and Wilder High Schools. Students average five to 10 hours a week for pay of $33 to $66 and something special to add to their resumes. In addition, they earn the satisfaction of helping peers, and of reinforcing their own learning. 

Evaluation: grades and more
     How do the peer tutors know how they are doing? The biggest test is in improvement of grades for students they tutor, a key indicator. (See Student stories).  Peer tutors only exist in high schools with TRIO programs, so their local TRIO teacher/education specialist is involved in his/her students' progress.  They monitor self-assessments peer tutors fill out indicating how they feel they are doing, and also citing any problems with which they need help with. Peer tutors are always welcome to call their teachers for advice or help. 
 
    
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Magda Murillo
(left) likes
being tutored by Ashley Cardona because "She understood what I was talking about." More.


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