Spotlight

Aiding in Student Success

Are you struggling in a class and thinking you might fail? The tutoring program is available to help anyone having difficulty with a class subject.

Tutoring Services are provided by the Student Support Services Department and are at no cost to Luzerne County Community College students. A student should request a tutor if they know they are taking a subject they struggled with in the past or of a student is currently struggling in a class. Requesting a tutor is not hard - you go to the student intranet and click the "Request a Tutor" button and follow the instructions.

The tutoring program receives a lot of students needing a tutor each semester. "The number of students to be tutored increases in the Fall semester and decreases in the Spring semester," says Susan Socash, Learning Support Specialist. On average the Fall semester has about 650 students requesting a tutor and the Spring semester has about 500 students.

The most commonly requested courses for tutoring are Math 60, Biology 135, English 101, and Accounting 111. But these are not the only classes offered in the tutoring program. "We try to find a tutor for any course that a student requests," says Socash. But there are some courses that are hard to find a tutor for. "The technical, nursing and computer courses need more tutors but it is harder to find for those because they are more skill oriented, Socash says."

The tutoring program also allows students to become a tutor themselves. Tutoring someone helps the tutor learn more about the subject they are helping with. When you tutor you do not have set hours or a set place to work ? that is up to you and the person you are tutoring. "It is very flexible in hours," says Erin Chmiola, a LCCC Math Major and tutor. Tutors have a benefit of getting paid $7.25 an hour for their work also. To be a tutor, you must be in at least your second semester of LCCC, have at least 12 credits, at least a 2.75 GPA, and have had a B or A in the course. Tutoring can be fun or serious depending on how you want to teach it. "When I tutor at times it is serious, but other times it is very upbeat and we laugh at the things we finally understand," says Chmiola. If you want to feel good for helping someone else or if you need the money, you should request to be a tutor. If you feel like you need help or are going to fail, request a tutor and get help. The staff in the tutoring department, as well as the student tutors want to see you succeed.