Invest in High-Dosage Tutoring to Boost Student Achievement and Recruit New Teachers
Roxane Knorr, a college student studying neuroscience and a tutor with the Ignite Fellowshipthrough Teach For America California, advocates for the benefits of high-dosage tutoring in schools. High-dosage tutoring involves providing students with at least 90 minutes of directinstruction each week, fostering strong, sustained relationships between tutors and students. Knorr, who has a physical disability, was inspired by her positive experiences withsupportive teachers and now aims to offer similar mentorship to others. The IgniteFellowship provides comprehensive training for tutors, ensuring they possess the necessarycontent knowledge and pedagogical skills. This program also provides a pathway forindividuals interested in a teaching career, allowing them to gain experience and test-drivethe role before fully committing. Knorr emphasizes the importance of building personalrelationships with students, tailoring lessons to their interests, and providing one-on-oneattention, which can be incredibly impactful in large classes with high student-teacher ratios.
Knorr has witnessed significant academic improvements in her tutoring role and increasedengagement among her students. She cites examples from Aspire Rosa Parks in Stockton, where most students met their reading and math goals through the tutoring program. Theexperience has also been transformative for Knorr, enhancing her leadership skills anddeepening her understanding of educational equity. She advocates for integrating high-dosagetutoring into the school day, emphasizing its effectiveness in helping students achieveacademic success and recruiting new teachers into the field.