CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – The Horry County Library System is stepping in to help kids get back on track after missing weeks of school because of Hurricane Florence by offering free tutoring.
The new program is called “Homework Help” and it is funded through a grant from the South Carolina State Library System. The tutors from the program are certified teachers and it is currently available at the Conway and Socastee Libraries.
Library Director, Cindy Thornley, said this program gives students the extra help they need outside the classroom, but it can also help parents who are struggling to get homework finished with their kids. “It’s a great way to get your evening back as a family, and not be dominated with worries about getting the homework done,” said Thornley.
We talked to one parent whose kids are involved in the program. She said the tutoring has helped a lot with her son finishing his school work, but she said it also boosted his confidence.
“He came home the first day, and he was so excited,” said Tracy Elvis. “Everything was finished, and he actually got to do some of the things that the family was doing besides sit at the table and do his homework.”
She said sometimes there is a disconnect between the way parents learned in school, and the way students are currently being taught, and that can make it difficult to help children with their homework. Elvis said by having the tutor, “I think he understood it better.”
Additionally, at the Socastee Library, there is tutoring for people learning English as a second language (ESL). “Sometimes the parents often need that help with practicing their English and learning English,” said Thornley. “They can be doing that in the same time their children can be in the homework club and be getting help from certified teachers.”
“As a parent, I’m very encouraged because it is a certified teacher,” said Elvis. “Not only did it booster his self-esteem and his understanding, but it also increased our family time and the quality of that time.”
The tutoring program is free and it will last the entire school year. The tutors are available Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. At the Socastee Library, tutoring will be on Monday and Wednesday, and at the Conway Library on Tuesday and Thursday.