Three Ways Peer Tutoring Creates Better Learners

Peer tutoring is filled with benefits. It teaches material in a fun and stress-free fashion and keeps kids engaged along the way. It’s been proven effective at improving subject knowledge and more, but did you know it can also help students become better learners overall?

We’ll look into exactly why this is in the points below:

It Increases Educational Motivation

When a student learns from their peers, it makes the material more fun. It shows that other kids have mastered the same subjects in the past, so they can do it, too. It may even make them want to learn so well that they can become a tutor in the future.

How does this happen? Peer tutors are role models, and their students look up to them. Their own educational motivation then often wears off on those they teach, helping them to learn better even after their sessions are complete.

It Promotes Personal Responsibility

Personal responsibility from peer tutoring can come in two different fashions. First, it shows kids that educational success is possible. They see someone who’s already done it right in front of their eyes, and they know they can do it, too. This aids in both the will and the responsibility to learn, as they can clearly see themselves reaching the same levels of success their tutors have before.

Second, peer tutors are responsible. They show that learning takes dedication and effort, allowing their students to pick up on these characteristics in order to gain the same success in school, too.

It Teaches Time Management and Study Skills

Peer tutoring doesn’t just teach subject knowledge — it shows how the instructor figured the information out on their own. This means subtle study skills are often thrown into the conversation.

Sessions might mention how the tutor used skills to learn on their own, such as:

• Note taking

• Flashcard creation

• Highlighting important information in assigned readings

• Asking questions whenever they come up

• Practicing new skills at home

The tutor may also share how they found time to study on their own. They could mention time blocking, using a planner to schedule learning sessions, waking up early to review information before class, and more.

These may be skills that can be offered by teachers and parents as well, but they’re likely to be taken more seriously when they come from a peer who really put them to use and saw positive results because of it.

So, it’s clear that peer tutoring is filled with benefits that extend far beyond subject matter. Whether your child needs help with math, reading, or another class they’re taking, peer tutoring can help them become a better learner along the way.