These are the years when children learn to read and then start reading to learn, and when number sense either becomes automatic or stays an effort. A small gap now is far cheaper to close than the same gap in grade 7.
Lessons at this age are short and active. A tutor keeps a young child reading aloud, writing, counting and explaining, with one skill in focus at a time.
What lessons focus on
- Short lessons
- Thirty minutes is often enough for a young child. Two short lessons a week usually do more than one long one.
- One skill at a time
- Letter sounds, subtraction with regrouping, telling time. A narrow target gives a child a win they can feel.
- A grown-up nearby
- A parent or guardian should be in the room to get the lesson started and to hear what to practice before next time.
Subjects for kindergarten to grade 5
Math
- Counting, number sense and place value
- Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts
- Fractions and decimals
- Measurement, time and money
- Word problems, one step and then several
English
- Letter sounds and phonics
- Reading aloud with fluency
- Understanding and retelling a story
- Spelling and vocabulary
- Writing sentences and short paragraphs
Science
- Plants, animals and habitats
- Weather, seasons and the water cycle
- Solids, liquids and gases
- Forces, motion and simple machines
- Asking a question and testing it
Social studies
- Families, communities and how they work
- Reading maps and globes
- States, regions and landmarks
- Early American history
- Rules, rights and responsibilities
Your part as a parent
You book the lesson and open it on your own device. Stay within earshot: young children need help with the camera and microphone. Ask the tutor to keep the last few minutes for you, to say what to practice before the next lesson.
Questions about elementary school tutoring
Is my child too young for online tutoring?
Many children in kindergarten and grade 1 manage a short online lesson with a parent beside them. If your child cannot yet sit at a screen for twenty minutes, wait a few months and try again.
How long should a lesson be?
Start with 30 minutes for kindergarten to grade 2. Older elementary students can usually work for 60.
Does my child need their own account?
No. Children do not have logins. The parent or guardian holds the account and opens each lesson.
