Where do I start?

The following article was authored by Natalie Monzavifar, NSF leadership team member as well as 2015 and 2016 National Peer Tutor of the Year Finalist.
​
When trying to start a peer-tutoring program at a school, there are several important factors to consider. Here is a 15-step outline to help students looking to create a peer tutoring program get started:

1. Develop a basic plan on how the program will work and how it can be organized.
2. Meet with the administration of your school including your principal, director, school counselors, etc. They can help you begin to institute your plans.
3. Find a faculty advisor that is willing to supervise and/or assist with the creation of the program.
4. Gather a group of passionate students and/or friends who would like to participate as tutors for the program.
5. Reach out to the student body for any more interested students who would like service or leadership opportunities as tutors.
6. Draft a website and/or public access domain where information can be stored.
7. Start reaching out for any students who might be interested as tutees.
8. Use email, flyers, social media postings- everything you can do to advocate for the program.
9. Have an area available where students are able to submit requests for tutoring (either online or near the front office, easily accessible)
10. Pair students with tutors that tutor in that specific subject and are available for the times that the student is.
11. Allow tutors to communicate and organize sessions with their tutees independently, and serve as a source of guidance to further community leadership and accountability.
12. Follow up with students and tutors and make sure things are running smoothly.
13. When the program starts to grow, look for potential candidates for leadership positions.
14. Create prizes and certificates for tutors that participate in the program (Tutor of the Month, Most Subjects Tutored, Most Sessions, Best Feedback, etc); create t-shirts, host celebratory holiday or end of year thank-you banquets/ appreciation evenings to instill a sense of community and show the gratitude the school has for the tutors. 
15. Encourage all peer tutors to apply to the National Peer Tutor Scholarship Program!