Information for Schools and Community Organizations
Each school and community organization involved in the L2L program has a designated L2L Coordinator who is responsible for tailoring the program to suit the context of their particular school or organization, and for engaging and supporting students involved in the program. An L2L Trainer is also assigned to each participating institution to train tutors and collaborate with the L2L Coordinator to ensure that each participant is successful.
Within schools and community organizations
Tutors
L2L Tutors are high achieving students who provide one-on-one mentorship and academic support to their peers. Tutors are trained by L2L Trainers on hands-on strategies for effective tutoring.
Peers
L2L Peers are students seeking extra support with their school work.
L2L Trainer
L2L Trainers are either veteran teachers, administrators, or young professionals with experience in classroom teaching or youth mentorship. They lead tutor training sessions focused on helping tutors become stronger leaders and better mentors, and provide ongoing support throughout L2L programs to ensure that all participants are successful.
L2L
CO-Ordinator
Coordinators are teachers, administrators or other staff members at schools or community organizations who collaborate with L2L Trainers to manage L2L programs at their school.
The Training
Student-centered and personalized learning approaches are at the core of the L2L training curriculum. At the beginning of each L2L school program, tutors receive support from an L2L Trainer who comes to their school to facilitate 2-4 sessions on tutoring strategies with an emphasis on learning styles, multiple intelligences, and mindsets.
At set intervals between tutoring sessions, tutors meet with other tutors and their L2L Trainers for ongoing training to discuss strategies, engage in problem-solving and role-playing activities, and to share experiences with one another.
The Tutoring
Each Tutor is matched with a Peer by their L2L School Coordinator, and the tutor is responsible for leading at least ten hours of one-on-one peer-tutoring to help their peer improve their academic standing in a particular subject. These sessions are catered to the particular learning needs of the peer. Warm-up exercises, fun educational activities, and other resources are provided in training and on an on-going basis to support tutors in the delivery of these sessions.
The School Co-ordinator
Every school engaged in L2L programming has a School Coordinator responsible for the program and the reason for the program’s success.
The School Coordinator plays an instrumental role in initiating the L2L program at a school by identifying the need for the program, leading the selection of Tutors, and matching Tutors with Peers. School Coordinators are often administrators or guidance counselors, but this role is open to anyone on staff at a school. L2L provides reference letters for School Coordinators who would like to include L2L in their leadership portfolio.
Responsibilities of a School Co-ordinator
Identify Tutors at the school
Identify Peers at the school
Schedule 2-3 Tutor training sessions with the school’s Trainer
Supervise, or arrange for the supervision of tutoring sessions
Ensure that participating Tutors deliver at least 10 hours of tutoring sessions
Schedule 3 review meetings for Tutors with the school’s Trainer
Support Tutors on an ongoing basis
Communicate with the Trainer, school administration, and other faculty about the progress and health of the program
Provide insights and feedback for the improvement of the program to your school’s Trainer
Lead the process of integrating L2L at the school
Schedule, plan, and host an end of program celebration
Benefits to students
Tutors participate in L2L for a variety of reasons. Secondary schools offer our program for academic credit, or for volunteer hours, and all who complete the program receive a certificate from L2L. One benefit that tutors always report to us is the feeling that they’ve made a difference in the life of another student who needed help. The personal relationships that are created between tutors and their peers enhance the school community, with friendships being formed across grade levels. Peers involved have experienced increased academic success and confidence in subjects in which they were initially weak.
Frequently asked questions
How is the L2L program structured?
The L2L program model is simple and flexible, which makes it easily adaptable to suit the particular needs of any given school. The following 4 core elements are common to every school:
- 2-3 tutor training sessions with an L2L trainer
- 10 hours of one-on-one peer-tutoring sessions
- Group review and debrief meetings between L2L tutors and trainers after intervals of 3, 6 and 10 tutoring sessions
- Final celebration and certificate distribution ceremony
When is L2L offered at schools, and how much time does the program take, from start to finish?
L2L programming can start at various points during the school year. The latest recommended start date for an L2L program is January for elementary schools, and February for semestered secondary schools. With 2-3 training sessions for tutors, at least 10 of peer-tutoring sessions, 3 mid-program review meetings, a final review meeting, and celebration, each L2L program takes at least a couple months from start to finish.
The most important thing to consider when planning and scheduling an L2L school program is what will work in the specific context of a school. Some schools will want to support a particular grade with tutoring leading up to a provincial test; some schools may want to offer the program to students who want to boost their grades before applying for college or university; and some schools will want to engage with L2L on an ongoing basis all year to provide general support for all students.
Is there a cost for students to receive tutoring with L2L?
There is no cost for students to receive peer-tutoring with L2L. One of the driving purposes of our program is to offer academic support to students who would not otherwise receive it to due to a lack of financial means.
Who can be an L2L School Coordinator?
L2L School Coordinators have a passion for learning and for helping others, are creative problem solvers, and believe that all students can succeed under the right conditions with appropriate support. This role is open to anyone on staff at a school. If you are interested in becoming an L2L Trainer, contact us at info@l2l.ca
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