St. Norbert College creates free online e-tutoring program for K-12 students

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Dr. Bola Delano-Oriaran launched the tutoring initiative, which helps K-12 students whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19, while providing experience to future teachers. Dr. Bola Delano-Oriaran launched the tutoring initiative, which helps K-12 students whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19, while providing experience to future teachers.
Dr. Bola Delano-Oriaran launched the tutoring initiative, which helps K-12 students whose education has been disrupted by COVID-19, while providing experience to future teachers.

Hundreds of K-12 students from 18 states and Canada are taking advantage of e-tutoring services offered by education students through a collaboration of private and public universities in Wisconsin.

Led by St. Norbert College, some 330 college students at eight institutions, including seven from Wisconsin, began providing free grade-appropriate online instruction in March to more than 500 K-12 students. Now there is a waiting list.

The initiative, started by associate professor of education at St. Norbert College, Dr. Bola Delano-Oriaran, includes St. Norbert, Lawrence University, Ripon College, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, and the University of North Georgia.

“This e-tutoring program connects college students and faculty with their communities and empowers all involved to intentionally engage while applying academic coursework to address community issues,” Delano-Oriaran says. “In tutoring, our teacher candidates are deepening their knowledge as they apply concepts learned from their teachereducation college courses, while K-12 students also are continuing with their learning in the midst of COVID-19.”

St. Norbert College junior education major Chloe Steffel says her experiences so far have been wonderful: “I am able to get to know my students, their ability levels in the requested content areas, prepare lessons that help further that knowledge – not only using what I have learned in classes in working with them, but also using what I learn about them and their interests to tailor their learning to ways that make sense for them.”

As Delano-Oriaran watches the e-tutoring program grow day by day, she is thankful to have the opportunity to make an impact.

“Doing this work in the midst of a pandemic has allowed me to stay grounded and at peace while ‘called’ to serve my students, my college, my community, and our nation one day at a time,” she says.