Quarry Hill Primary School teachers have seen great outcomes for students in the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI).
As part of the TLI, the school runs 4 literacy sessions and 3 to 4 maths sessions a week.
These small group sessions give students the opportunity to target their learning and master concepts with which they are struggling. This has been particularly beneficial after many months of remote learning.
The school has a full-time tutor, Bonnie McIntyre, who works closely with classroom teachers. Teachers use student learning data to identify which students may need help and to measure their progress.
Bonnie has been a teacher at the school for 6 years.
'I feel privileged to step out of the classroom into a role like this,' she said.
'It's rewarding seeing learning happening right in front of you; to help kids reach their potential.
'It has extended me in a lot of areas that I'll be able to use in future.'
Implementing the TLI program
Bonnie said she appreciated the clear structure of the program and enjoyed the professional learning on how to implement it. Having a Student Achievement Manager also helped her to understand what was expected and suggest different approaches.
Bonnie said she was happy and relieved to find parents were grateful for the program and welcomed the extra support for their children.
How the TLI has improved the kids' confidence and openness to learning
Bonnie finds it rewarding to see the confidence of students participating in the TLI grow.
'My Grade 5 and Grade 6 students were initially reluctant to go to the sessions outside of class,' she said.
'They were quiet, and then bubbly once they started seeing success.'
Excited teachers also frequently share positive feedback with Bonnie about their students' progress.
Bonnie ensures her sessions are engaging. She builds rapport with students and helps them understand they're in a safe space.
'I love seeing their wins and their faces light up when they get it,' she said.
'Kids come up to me when I'm on yard duty feeling comfortable enough to say, 'We did this in class, but I don't quite get it', so can I help them work on it.'
Considering becoming a tutor?
According to Bonnie, you should go for it.
'It's a wonderful, unique experience,' she said.
'It's not every day you get an experience like this and it's great to develop your teaching practice, skills, and continue growing as an educator.
'The beauty of TLI is you can adapt it to the school and your nature.
'You're constantly collaborating with parents, the community, and other staff who are knowledgeable in other areas. You get to learn a lot.'
Expressions of interest for the TLI in 2022 are open now
Tutors who were employed fixed term in 2021, or individuals interested in becoming a tutor, can register their interest now for 2022.
To register interest, create an Applicant Profile in the Job Opportunities pool on Recruitment Online (ROL). Current employees will need to access ROL through the careers tile on the eduPay employee home page.
Find out more
To find out more about TLI, or register interest in a tutoring role, refer to the department web page Tutor Learning Initiative.
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