Center for Community and Civic Engagement

What is the Volunteer Tutoring Program and how is it different from other programs?

The volunteer tutoring program is a free tutoring program that matches Carleton student volunteers with Northfield students in need of one-on-one academic assistance in any subject. Tutors are matched with tutees based on subject area and other preferences (specified by the parent). This program runs outside of the school day.

Although many other programs exist where Carleton students volunteer to tutor Northfield students, most of those run during the school day or are not one-on-one tutoring. This program is the most individualized to the student.

When and where do I/my child meet with our tutor? For how long do we meet?

Each match can determine a meeting location that works well for them; however, we require that all meetings take place in a public space for safety reasons. Generally, meetings last one hour and will meet once a week.

Who runs the program? Who do I contact?

This is a program run by the Center for Community and Civic Engagement at Carleton College. For the 2019-2020 academic year, the program coordinators are Alina Maki and Jaylin Lowe. You can contact Alina at makia2@carleton.edu and Jaylin at lowej2@carleton.edu.

How do I sign up for a tutor?

Sign up for a tutor by filling out this form: Tutoring Request Form

If a student or their family does not have access to the internet, paper versions of the forms can be mailed to them instead. Please contact Alina or Jaylin if this is needed.

After I’ve signed up, what do I do? What is the process of getting a match?

After filling out the forms, your information is collected in a database which the student coordinators check during their work hours. Student coordinators will follow-up with your request within a week and try to find a tutor match as soon as possible; however since all tutors are volunteers no guarantees can be made and requests for less common subject material may take up to a few months. If you have any questions about the progress of your match, feel free to contact the Fellow via email or the tutoring hotline.

Are tutors required to complete a background check?

Yes. All tutors must complete the Northfield Public Schools volunteer criminal background check. This is then referenced against the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's records.