High schools notoriously encourage students to fill their class schedules with advanced classes to build competitive applicants in their senior year. While this opens many doors for students, most, regardless of their class placement, search for resources to help them excel in their courses. Whether it is connecting students with tutoring organizations like Tutoring for Tomorrow or encouraging teachers to host review sessions after school, Miami Palmetto Senior High does not fall short when approaching this issue. This school year, Panthers have taken this one step further by coordinating an in-school hours tutoring group dedicated to helping the lowest 25% of performing students: Brainy Bunch Tutoring.
The idea formed during an EESAC meeting last school year, when Assistant Principal Michelle Zawie mentioned the need for lower performing students to improve their test scores. After hearing of the issue, junior Sofia Cohn and junior Joseph Kouperschmidt worked with Zawie to create a program offering tutoring opportunities during the school day. As co-chairs of Student Council’s PTSA EESAC board, Cohn and Kouperschmidt were able to recruit help, and the concept quickly became a reality.
Although offering peer tutoring is risky due to factors like outside commitments and absences, Kouperschmidt remains confident that the group will have a positive impact. Currently in its early stages, Brainy Bunch has recruited around 20 tutors, all of whom have completed and are being trained to tutor in core subjects such as Algebra 1, English 1 and 2 and Geometry. With their first session scheduled for Dec. 4, the tutors are working to provide a supportive environment for students who will be required to attend these sessions.
“The main issue I saw is that we are, unfortunately, as a student body in terms of test scores, in terms of performance, are a bit out of touch with with the norm that we want and that the administration has been doing the best job they can, but I think that the students also recognize the issues, they have experienced those issues, and I think they can definitely help,” Kouperschmidt said.
This group not only benefits those attending the tutoring sessions but also aims to form greater connections among everyone involved. For junior Samantha Tigani, signing up to become a Brainy Bunch tutor has allowed her to give back and form new friendships, all without taking time away from her extracurricular activities.
“I decided [to join Brainy Bunch Tutoring] because I want to help other students. From past years, I know I’ve struggled, and I think it’s a good thing to step forward and just offer an extra hand to help,” Tigani said.
The group aims to get started before winter break, to gain feedback from tutors and students attending the sessions. Factors like time, setting and productivity will all be taken into consideration, as those involved hope for the initiative to prove successful.
“We want to do a couple of surveys to definitely see how kids who’re being tutored feel, whether it is actually an improvement or there have to be things that change,” Kuoperschmidt said. “But the whole point of it is that we are trying to help a certain demographic that, unfortunately, not only struggle in school, but have so many responsibilities outside of school … So we really are trying to aim at the demographic and tell them that this is a school, and you still are here and we want to include you in everything.”
In the future, Brainy Bunch Tutoring hopes to expand its services to include tutoring in Advanced Placement courses and EOC exams.
“I’m excited because I really think it’s going to help our school and make these students feel more confident,” Cohn said.
