Many students need access to above grade level coursework. Others simply want to be able to take college level courses by the time they are in high school. How can you get your student qualified to do this? The answer is tutoring for acceleration.

ecae tutors are NOT like other tutors. They are NOT remedial specialists. They want to work with advanced students who have the ability to move faster, learn more and complete a year’s worth of curriculum in a shorter period of time.

Please read below for our Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s:

What is acceleration?

Acceleration refers to the rate that a bright student is given new academic content. Students may accomplish this by moving faster in a typical year (compacting curriculum), doubling up on courses (such as two science courses in one year), or skipping courses and jumping to the next higher level course. In the United States, one grade level of curriculum has been standardized to be taught by the teacher and learned by the student within one calendar school year, typically eight months, excluding school breaks and vacations. For many bright students, this pace, which has been designed for the typical learner based on their age, will be too slow. These students need to be taught at a faster or “accelerated” pace. In doing so, they have the ability to cover more academic content in the same eight month period of time.

Why do students choose to accelerate?

Research has shown that students learn most efficiently when they are taught at a rate that matches their intellectual capacity to learn. If students are taught at a rate that is too slow, other problems such as disinterest, boredom, underachievement and behavioral issues may arise. Placing students in a challenging learning environment where they must invest effort to succeed ensures the student will continue to mature academically.

Many children discover at an early age that they already know a majority of what is being taught in the classroom, or else they have the ability to learn it very quickly. For these children, a grade skip may be beneficial.

Older students may find that they have intellectual abilities in specific subject areas beyond their classmates. These students can benefit by taking advanced coursework that is one, two, or three years ahead in grade level. In order to take these courses, it may be necessary to accelerate through some previous coursework.

What are the advantages of acceleration?

For younger students, grade skips can sometimes bring about a better match socially as well as academically, for the child. The year or two difference may also allow the student to find suitable intellectual partners. For older students who accelerate through certain subjects, they are able to begin high school coursework earlier, resulting in access to AP courses sooner, and taking college level courses while still in high school (post-secondary education options PSEO). Colleges look favorably upon students who have taken AP courses as well as PSEO courses so acceleration can also yield benefits during the college application process.

What are the disadvantages of acceleration?

Typically, compromise must be made in the student’s school day that can involve social, environmental or academic parameters. Students may need to relate outside their regular peer group for activities such as recess or lunch and they might not be able to take certain elective courses as a result of changes to their schedule. There could be more homework, if the accelerated class is being taken in addition to a full course load. Older students may come to feel “burned” out on a particular subject if they are required to take multiple courses in the same subject area, over multiple years.

What kind of tutor is best suited to work with the accelerated student?

Our experience is that adults who are professionals in the fields they tutor in and passionate about their subject, make excellent tutors for gifted students. We have engineers who have tutored accelerated students in math.

What type of student is successful at acceleration?

The student who has interest and aptitude for a particular subject is a good candidate for acceleration. Prior test scores and quantitative data should show that the student is advanced in cognitive ability, in the 90th percentile of grade level standardized testing. The student should be receiving superior grades in the subject(s) that they wish to accelerate in. The student should be self-motivated and able to adapt to doing coursework in a way that might be different from their regular school classes.

How does acceleration work?

A student can be taught a typical one year subject in less than a year. For example, summer is an advantageous time when a student can choose to concentrate on one subject and complete it within the three month span of the summer break. Another example is when a student covers the same curriculum during the school year, but compacted. What is typically taught in 3 class periods can be covered, or compacted, into one class period. The student will finish the class sooner, before the end of the school year.

Will my school allow my student to accelerate?

Each school is different and may have its own policies governing the completion of coursework outside of the school itself. Parents should begin the discussion of acceleration at least a year in advance of starting, if possible. If the coursework is to take place over the summer, the discussion should take place no later than February/March of that year. Many schools are setting student schedules for the following fall and need to know student enrollment in each course. Generally, with advance notification, and test score documentation, along with current grades and classroom teacher support, acceleration is acceptable in most schools. If you are seeking acceleration during the school year, this must be carefully discussed with the school and arrangements worked out well ahead of time.

What materials and curriculum will be used?

ecae will attempt to use the same materials used by your school. We request that the parent provide a list of relevant textbooks and arrange to procure copies of school tests and quizzes so that they can be administered by the tutor. We have found schools grant credit more readily when the student uses the same curriculum. If requested, ecae will provide progress and grade reports to the school on a regular basis. The tutor will provide weekly session summaries to the student and parent. The tutor will also include a monthly parent-teacher conference to review progress and discuss any concerns/issues.

Will we get to choose our tutor?

Parents may request a specific tutor, however, because families are contracting with ecae, we cannot guarantee that a particular tutor will always be available. In some cases, the tutor may need to change during the course. Although rare, ecae or the family may feel that another tutor would be better suited to teaching a particular student/subject/topic. Any changes in the tutor will be fully discussed and negotiated with the family well in advance.

How often should we tutor?

Typically, tutors meet with the student once a week for one to one and a half hours. As a general rule of thumb, enough material is covered and homework assigned so that the typical year long course is covered in 4 to 5 months (half a school year). A minimum of 40 to 60 minutes of homework per night is to be expected at that rate. However, individual pacing is recommended based on the total course load that the student is carrying and the extracurricular activities that they are involved in. Individual pacing allows the course to be completed anywhere from 4 to the full 8 months during a typical school year.

Where does tutoring take place?

Parents may arrange to have tutoring take place in their home, or at a public location such as a library or school.

How is the tutor paid?

ecae will provide a monthly contract to the parent, and payments are accepted in advance, on a monthly basis. This allows ecae to schedule and pay the tutor. The base rate for acceleration tutoring is $60 per hour, but can vary depending on the subject, need, and type of tutoring required. Payments are either refunded or credited, in case a session needs to be cancelled. Cancellations are accepted for any reason if given a 24 hour notice to the tutor.

If you are interested in acceleration in a particular subject for your student, contact Director Susan Lee, susanlee@ecae.net.

Filed under: Tutoring for Acceleration