Paper isn’t just a product made from trees and used as a vehicle for the written word, it’s also an online tutoring program that helps Hillsborough County students in grade 6–12 have unlimited, on-demand access to free academic support.
Need an essay proofread or suggestions for improving it? Working through a particularly difficult math problem? Not a problem. Paper tutors are available, usually responding in an average of 30 seconds, to assist students within seconds.
No matter what a student’s academic needs are, Paper’s expert learning assistants are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“So often, students who need individualized private tutoring don’t have the means for that,” said Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Terry Connor. “This gives an opportunity for every student, not matter their economic background, to be provided assistance.”
To access the program, students can log in on their phone or desktop computer through Clever by clicking on the Paper icon. From there, students will create their own login and password. Paper automatically knows their classes and will ask whether the student needs help with a specific class. Students can also type questions into the chat, pick a specific subject to ask a question about or select ‘ask any tutor.’ Students can type their questions, upload screenshots of their work or upload the homework teachers assigned to them.
Tutors use the Socratic method, offering assistance by guiding students through the questions to get them to think critically about what they know, what they’ve tried, where any misunderstandings are and how to move forward. They don’t give away answers; instead, they make students work for them.
Tutor Sophie loves her job as a tutor and loves helping students in the subject of humanities, math and science.
“Students learn at different rates, so not all learning happens in the classroom and tutoring,” she said. “Tutoring helps level the playing field in that respect,” she said.
Tutor Steve, who tutors in the subjects of history, geography, French and Mandarin, said he tells stories as a hook to get students interested and excited about the subject matter.
“Tutors help reinforce the learning that happens in the classroom,” he said.
To learn more about how Paper works, parents and guardians can sign up for Q&A sessions in English and Spanish and speak with a member of the Paper team directly. Should you have any immediate questions, reach out to parents@paper.co. You can also visit https://paper.co/ for more information.
