Tutoring Opportunities to Fulfill Application Requirements

As part of the highly competitive admissions process for the teacher education programs, you must verify completion of at least a set number of hours of academic tutoring. We want you to have academic experiences interacting with students of a similar age and stage of development to those you plan to teach. Also, we want you and your supervisor to realistically assess your interest and commitment to education and your ability to handle responsibility. The number of required hours varies between programs. Please refer to the application process information for specific program requirements.

Information provided here will help students intending to apply to Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, and the Teaching of Secondary Education minor identify volunteer opportunities. This is not a complete list of opportunities, merely a resource we hope you will find helpful. If you've questions, please contact one of the academic advisor at the College of Education, their contact information is available to the right. This page is new and will be growing, so please check back as new information will be added.

Requirements of tutoring

• The minimum hours completed for the program being applied to by the deadline of application on February 1st in the semester that you are applying.
• Some programs require the hours to be completed after graduating from high school.
• Tutoring must be supervised by a certified teacher, guidance counselor, or a professional administrator.
• You may work in more than one school setting. If you work in two different schools for example, you must submit two different forms that verify your hours.
• You may work with more than one teacher.  If you work with more than one teacher, you must submit two different forms that verify your work with that teacher.
• Background checks and finger printing will need to be completed prior to working with children.

Purpose of tutoring

• Provides experiences interacting with children who will be of a similar age and stage of development for which you seek certification.
• Allows certification seeking students an opportunity to assess interest, responsibilities, and commitment.
• Helps students begin thinking like a teacher, not like a student.
• Your teacher supervisor will be able to assess your interest and commitment to education as well as your ability to follow through on responsibility.
• Allows you to create connections with students, your supervising teacher, and with the local schools and community.
• Exposes you to different middle and high school settings from what you may have attended.
• Starts the process of your own understanding that working as a teacher means working as a community member and bridge builder; your assistance to the schools is extremely beneficial to them and they appreciate the work you will do with them!
  

Foreign Language teaching specifics

It is highly recommended that students tutor in their foreign language. Students majoring in a foreign language should refer to the BAT information on the Liberal Arts & Sciences web site.

Tutoring opportunities

Vis-à-vis

You can sign up to tutor middle school or high school students in the Champaign and Urbana area through Vis-a-Vis by dropping by their office on the first floor of the YMCA/YWCA on Wright St across from Lincoln Hall.

Volunteer Illini Projects

Drop by their office, 268 Illini Union, to check on tutoring opportunities in the Champaign-Urbana area.

Area School Opportunities

A listing of area schools along with information on opportunities and application process is available.

Math majors in the Teaching of Secondary Education minor

These students are able to enroll in MATH 199 FTM section. This is a class specifically designed to get your 25+ tutoring hours per semester along with teaching you math teaching methods in a 1 credit hour class. This is the recommended option for you. The Teaching of Secondary Education minor program will accept tutoring completed through Math 199 FTM tutoring or America Reads/America Counts middle school tutoring. This option is only available to Math majors seeking teaching certification.

Note: Math 199 FTM students must attend an Urbana High School Tutoring Orientation session—see earlier e-mail about Urbana High School for date and location. To work with America Reads/America Counts, you need to have already received information about this opportunity from the Financial Aid Office as this is a College Work/Study Program based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Early Education
• Elementary Education
• Special Education
• Teaching of Secondary Education Minor