The upcoming school year is promising to be quite different from anything ever seen before due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.
Some students will return to classes in school buildings while other students will stay home and do online learning this year.
Because of this new normal for 2020-21, some Peterborough-area tutors are anticipating a busy fall season.
“I am hearing from parents that there is an anticipation their kids will need help,” said Jenny Kennedy-Bloom, a tutor in Peterborough. “Yes, I’m getting calls. I’m hoping to tutor kids in school and those who are learning from home.”
Kennedy-Bloom has been tutoring students for about seven years but expects this year to be her busiest yet, especially with a mix of students learning from home and in the classroom.
But she’s getting creative with how she approaches tutoring.
Normally, she would meet students at the Peterborough Public Library, but that’s not an option this year due to restrictions.
“There will be a mixture of digital Zoom sessions. Some clients have asked me to meet their kids in groups, sort of forming pods with other families who are doing distance learning,” she said. “We will pick a central location that works for everybody.”
Kennedy-Bloom also anticipates using outdoor space — at least until it gets cold out.
Meanwhile, Scholars Education Centre in Peterborough is getting a lot of inquiries from families for the fall.
“I do anticipate it will be busier here. I know that from those who are coming in or calling,” said centre co-ordinator Rhonda Couch. “I have had students in different types of learning that want to know what’s available to do partially online or here. The ones who are doing homeschooling, they’re wondering what we can do to help support them.”
Scholars has been busy using online support for students since the spring.
Staff have now added a number of safety measures, such as plexiglass barriers, at the centre for both teachers and students who are coming in this fall.
“If they’re not behind plexiglass, they have to be six feet apart,” Couch said.
“It’s now two students per teacher at the most. There’s plexiglass between the teachers and students and they are wearing masks. Everything is sanitized. Every student has their own pencil cases with their own pencils that nobody else touches. They sanitize their hands when they come in and when they leave.”
Scholars will be adding an online support program for students who aren’t going back to class in September.
The program will be offered Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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