Bad Report Card? Studies Show An Online Tutor May Be The Answer

/24-7/ -- November is report card month and parents across the nation are bracing for unpleasant results. Swine flu school closures and a slow implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) have contributed to stagnant test scores and low grades.

According to David P. Driscoll, chair of the National Assessment Governing Board which sets policies for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),

"...the failure of our 4th-graders to make progress nationally is a cause for concern."

Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately 125,000 American students in roughly 19 states have had their schooling affected by swine flu school closures.

These regrettable circumstances are disconcerting for parents. Research shows that tutoring is a viable solution.

According to Marzano (2003),

"...the typical student who receives tutoring will obtain achievement scores .50 standard deviations higher than the typical student who does not receive tutoring. This translates into a 19th percentile point gain."

Yet with the vast number of tutoring services and styles, parents are overwhelmed with choices.

Stuart Ackerman, founder of the online tutoring site, Tutorgiant.com, believes he's found the answer.

"It all comes down to basic skills. One cannot learn about fractions without knowing how to multiply and divide. A student cannot write an essay unless he or she is first able to compose a topic sentence and a paragraph. When a student misses school and/or lacks basic skills, it's time to seek help. Online tutoring, especially with videos, gives students the tools for mastery because they can work at their own pace."

According to Northwestern University researcher Greg Duncan in the journal of Developmental Psychology,

"We find the single most important factor in predicting later academic achievement is that children begin school with a mastery of early math and literacy concepts...Mastery of early math skills predicts not only future math achievement, it also predicts future reading achievement."

Ackerman, a certified school teacher with 14 years of experience and a Masters in Education from New York State, came up with the idea of launching a comprehensive archive of instructional videos, employing himself as the featured tutor.

"I have organized Tutorgiant in such a way that the lessons are organized from basic skills to more advanced." Ackerman explained, "and with the ability to watch video lessons on demand twenty-four seven, I believe I have given students a recipe for success."

The results are impressive. With an archive, to date, of over 400 videos and 500 worksheets in math and English which span the early elementary grades to high school, Tutorgiant.com offers a highly engaging online learning experience. With Ackerman front and center in each video, the website offers instruction aided by eye-pleasing graphics that effectively illuminate key concepts.

"I originally designed Tutorgiant for students who were falling behind and needed an English and math tutor, but I also realized that students who missed school due to sickness and other reasons had to get caught up on lessons. It's also a great tool for students who are lacking basic skills because they can get ahead by learning the lesson before it's taught in school."

For concerned parents and educators looking for an educational website that will engage students and provide the necessary skills and concepts, Tutorgiant may very well be the answer.

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