The Online Tutoring Solution for Low-Scoring Kids
In May 2003 the average salary for an Oklahoma teacher was $34,744. This put Oklahoma at a ranking of 47th of the 50 U.S. states. Since that ranking, some legislators have enacted new minimum salary requirements. Oklahoma has moved up in ranking, but not by much.
The low salaries offered by the education system have caused many graduating teachers to leave the state to seek better benefits. According to a New York Times article entitled "For Oklahoma's Teachers, Big D Is Dollars (and Dallas)" by Diana Schemo, 580 teachers left Oklahoma in 2000 for Dallas. This is not even counting the many other states they flock to. Most of the teachers leaving Oklahoma have specialties in math, science, and special education. These are very hard areas to fill.
The exodus of teachers has caused many school districts to hire substandard teachers. As a result, the quality of instruction is very poor. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the average score for Oklahoma 8th graders taking the math assessment was 275, which is below the national average. Many of these 8th graders become high school students and take the ACT. The average score for Oklahoma kids on the test is 20.4. This is also below the national average. These low scores have many parents and educators wondering what to do about these discouraging statistics.
One solution is for the legislators to give the teachers more money, but in Oklahoma there is only so much money that be given before running out. In 2007 they increased the pay, but the increase amounts to a salary that is still lower than most other states. Another possible solution is to get the parents more involved, but this solution is problematic because many parents have not had the subject matter that most kids are getting today. So what is the solution? There is a simple one: Tutoring.
Anyone from Oklahoma knows that the weather is very volatile. Oklahoma gets everything from 100 degree plus heat, tornadoes, to subzero ice storms. These weather conditions make it difficult to schedule a tutoring appointment. Oklahomans have to play it by ear to ensure that it is safe to go outside to find a private tutor. Also, if students don’t live in a college town then it is pretty hard to find a qualified to tutor in the subject area they need. So what is the solution: online tutoring. With online tutoring, you can find an expert certified tutor and never need to leave your house. You can easily get tutoring from your PC, and not have to worry about the weather getting in the way of your learning!
One online tutoring company that recently opened its doors for business is Tutorzilla. This online tutoring company is trusted and has Midwestern values. They even offer the first session for free! It is also cheaper than other tutoring companies. Tutorzilla offers unlimited tutoring for $99 dollars a month. Most private tutors charge $20-$50 dollars an hour, and this can be difficult to afford. With Tutorzilla you can have as many sessions you want in a one month period. So if you take 20 sessions, it is on average only 5 dollars a session. This is a discount tutoring deal that can not be passed up! So sign up today. Maybe, if learning comes to the forefront of our priorities, then states like Oklahoma can increase their test scores and better compete in the global marketplace with their peers.
