Peer Tutoring

Peer Tutoring, an invaluable resource for students, brings together Exonians of all grades to take part in one of the most non sibi activities offered on campus: helping each other to learn. It meets five nights per week in the Academic Support Center, on the third floor of the Phelps Academy Center. There, from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights, you will find students sitting in groups of two and three, quizzing each other on vocabulary or working out difficult math problems.

Academic Support Counselor Pamela Parris started the peer tutoring system and now supervises it every evening it meets. Her dedication has cultivated the group into the thriving program that it is today, and she encourages every student to become involved. “Please give it a try! I think you’ll find it’s a very friendly atmosphere,” Parris said, also emphasizing the importance of soliciting help. “Everyone needs help to get through Exeter—and life—so it’s a crucial skill to determine when you need help and where to find it.”

“Peer tutoring has proved to be invaluable to my academic career at Exeter.”

Peer tutors said that the most sought-after subjects are physics and math; however, discussing a complex biology reading with a tutor, or having “another set of eyes” look over an English paper can be very beneficial for students as well. “I can say that peer tutoring certainly made a difference in my learning when I struggled with physics prep year,” senior Daniela Nemirovsky, who now serves as a Head Peer Tutor.

Upper Kaleigh Conte also spoke highly of the group’s services. “Peer tutoring has proved to be invaluable to my academic career at Exeter,” she said. “I’ve learned how to, and where to get help when I need it. Ms. Parris has helped me so much, and everyone should have a chance to meet her!”

Although some students may feel that seeking help shows weakness, Parris considers it to be a wise decision. “We really encourage students to seek help,” she said. “It actually shows you’re strong and mature.”

Additionally, Parris wants students to know that giving and receiving help are not mutually exclusive, because each student has different strengths and weaknesses. “One of the best aspects of peer tutoring is that many students both give and get help while they’re here,” she said.

Nemirovsky believes that the value of peer tutoring can be found in its student-to-student interaction. The club presents an informal and non-judgemental atmosphere that makes it easy for students to come whenever they need help. Nemirovsky noted that this kind of environment can be difficult to find in study groups or when meeting with teachers which, as a result, discourages students from asking the necessary questions for attaining a proper understanding of the material. Upper Sofia Yoon said, “A lot of people prefer to get help from a peer tutor because the tutors themselves had the same experience, so they understand a lot about the course and the process of thinking.”

It’s important to realize that peer tutors have often encountered similar experiences in terms of workload and the type of assignments that certain courses require. Thus, the learning experience becomes much more collaborative and personalized, which has often showed drastic improvement for students grappling with a topic of study.

With that being said, peer tutoring oftentimes also benefits the tutor. “As a peer tutor I have learned to be more patient and to understand how to explain solutions to peers, not just at peer tutoring, but also in class. This has made me a more valuable participant around the Harkness table,” Nemirovsky said. Additionally, when tutors are forced to recall material and teach it to someone else, the process helps reinforce one’s own understanding of the topic.

Whether you’re helping, receiving help or just finishing some homework in the peer tutoring environment, every student familiar with the kind and welcoming atmosphere of the club considers it to reflect the values Exeter holds most dear: devotion to helping others and devotion to learning.

Parris said that her favorite moments are when soon-to-graduate tutors come to her and say that peer tutoring helped them to see education as a real career possibility.

“I say ‘hooray,’ since education is the most rewarding field there is, and, I’ll add, super non-sibi,” Parris said. “It may not mean being a classroom teacher or professor; there are many ways to be an educator.” Evidently, peer tutoring helps create community-minded Exonians with a passion for teaching others.