Student Tutors for Math and Reading

Because math takes a good bit of concentrated effort and quite a bit of help at least during the early elementary years I have found it helpful to enlist the help of older students for half an hour each day to help the youngest two with their math.  This frees me for a half hour of concentrated time to work through my high schooler's Algebra II with her.  The 8th grader helps the 3rd grader, when she needs help and the Sixth grader helps the second grader.  This seems to work well for us.  When the 40 minutes allotted for math is up we're all ready to move on to other subjects.   I have also enlisted the high schooler to listen to the second and third grader read aloud as they both know how to read but still need practice.  Since the younger two are done with math and reading we can focus on literature, history, and science projects. With the added help I can fit in time for each of the students individually and still feel that the younger ones who require more attention are getting what they need.  A side benefit is that as the older students tutor they learn patience, persistence, and communication  skills.  I have chosen the skill subjects - math and reading - rather than the information subjects because the older students should have mastery to that level and be capable of helping the younger students but if there is enough age difference and a competent older student the information subjects could be made to work, too. The older students should be able to teach whatever they know well themselves.