We have embraced online-learning in the recent few months more firmly than ever because of the pandemic. Digital learning has become the new-normal for majority of Indian students but did you know that a student in the USA explores and does Powerpoint Presentation while just studying 2nd grade?
I was taken aback when I was told that a 4th/5th Standard student there explores the basics of Coding in HTML and gets to know about online-learning, coding in Python programming language, building a website and much more all before he becomes a teenager.
The ultimate desire of school students, regardless of their medium of study or location, is to be successful and graduate with flying colors. To be successful, they need a strong foundation in English, Science and Math. Unfortunately not all are privileged to get them. While all have the right to get quality education, certain invisible barriers like financial circumstances or COVID-19 for example, create a roadblock and the detour greatly delays one from becoming successful.
When 15 year old Aaditya Ganesan began to tutor middle school students in Austin, Texas, USA during his summer vacation, he was delighted to share what he knows with them. As he continued he became passionate with teaching and he found his calling there.
Having learned from his mother Gayathri that as far education is concerned, the poor in India have certainly outnumbered the privileged, and for them finding a qualified tutor and affording them is almost impossible. Aaditya felt that his life in US and exposure to rich education gifted by his successful parents should be of use to others too.
He felt that he should share his knowledge and inspire the educated to educate kids with less-access to wealth of information, starting with students in India and eventually with everyone who are finding it unaffordable to get a nice tutor.
When like-minded friends Nikhil Devaraj and Aniruddh Mishra, shared their similar vision, it led to birth of Educationist Tutoring Service on May 2020.
Educationist Tutoring Service is a Non-Profit Organization that provides free online tutoring service. It is based in the US and focuses on providing free online tuition classes to Indian students between the ages 6 and 13 via Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp video calling features.
Speaking to Aaditya, we learned that he is trying to inspire young, skilled high-school and college students to become private tutors for students doing their 1st to 8th grade. The tutors work on a volunteer-basis whose core-objective will be to offer kids a strong foundation for English, Mathematics, Science and Coding for free.
When a student registers with Educationist Tutoring to get a private tutor for any of the subject mentioned above, he/she is put in touch with the tutor who is most suited based on the details given in the application. The same goes for those who apply to become tutors. Bright students who wish to educate their fellow students can also make a registration with Educationist Tutoring website, get vetted and start making a difference.
The focus of this project is to reach the unreached, says Aaditya. His team has already found some generous Tutor-volunteers in the USA who are originally from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in North Indian States. With their networks, the Educationists are recruiting US students and at the same time, they are looking for more tutors in the US from other Indian regions to assist Indian students who deserve such help with their education in their own mother tongue itself. Right now 3 tutors in Mumbai are being evaluated.
This project, though in its nascent stage has become a much appreciated endeavor among students and parents in India. The introductory classesAaditya says that when students are given a strong educational foundation, it becomes easy for them to find their deep-interest on a subject.
His team recruits tutors who are skilled, selfless and committed. Educationists are trying to reach Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and find volunteering tutors to enable them to help students there.
Timings, Subjects, Languages for communication all are listed in the registration form that is available in the website https://educationisttutoring.org. Beside academics, Free Chess Tutoring, Basics of Coding in HTML, Python, CSS and JavaScript are also provided via online. All learning sessions will take just 30-35 mins approximately.
If you are interested to avail free tutoring or if you are motivated to volunteer as a tutor, kindly do sign up on the website. If you think these boys are doing a noble service and you can contribute your time and skill, do reach out to educationisttutoring@gmail.com for additional information.
Article by : David Karunakaran.S