Guide To Chicago's Best Tutoring Resources
Highly Recommended and Free:
826Chi
1331 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60622
(773) 772 - 8108
Hours: Vary depending on program
Cost: Free
www.826chi.org
826chi is a little known secret in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. It hides behind the colorful and confounding Boring Store, a spy gear shop whose sales profits actually support the tutoring program. 826CHI is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students aged 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. All of their services are completely free from after school tutoring, workshops on creative writing, help for English language learners and in-school tutoring.
My kids have both taken numerous workshops since the age of six. They particularly enjoyed creating their own music and theatre with Brain Surgery Theatre, visiting and writing about a farmer's market and exploring a downtown art gallery. My son just completed a workshop where 12 kids from 5th -7th grade learned how to be journalists at Pitchfork Music Festival in a four week workshop which culminated in actually attending and reviewing the popular music festival.
Over the years I've taught creative writing classes at 826chi, like Winter Solstice Myths, and helped kids create a Lost Sock compilation book about where missing socks go from the dryer, complete with sock puppet book marks. Volunteers are needed for workshop instructors, assistants and tutors. Pitch an idea and join one of the most wildly creative and wonderful teams of volunteers in the city.
Drop in tutoring is also available Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the school year. (Saturdays from 3-5pm there is a special session for high school students only - click here for more information.) Parents of students in grades 1st though 8th must attend an orientation session before their child is able to attend the program. No reservations are required. An orientation for parents will be held in the fall for the 2011-2012 school year. 826national.org was founded by author, Dave Eggers, and has now expanded to a number of major cities.
Chicago's #1 free help program
New Life Volunteering Society
NLVS chapters exist at numerous Chicago colleges and universities including the following:
University of Illinois at Chicago - Medical School
Northwestern University - Medical School
Rosalind Franklin University Medical School
Rush University - Medical School
Loyola University - Medical School
University of Chicago - Medical School
University of Illinois at Chicago – Undergraduate
Northwestern University - Undergraduate
Washington University - Undergraduate
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Undergraduate
UIC presently runs the tutoring program for Chicago
Cost: Free
www.nlvs.org
For more information on how you can help, contact NLVS at vijay.khiani@gmail.com.
NLVS is a nationwide, secular non profit that offers free tutoring for Chicago Public School children K-12. They are recognized as Chicago's #1 help program. Tutors are presently in great need and accepted on a rolling admissions basis. All tutoring is Tuesdays and Thursdays with a choice of times. There is presently a wait list for children wanting to be matched one on one with tutors. Check out their site for details on their tutoring and ESL programs and for tutor applications.
Conventional and Convenient:
Sylvan Learning Centers
Locations: Chicago and numerous locations throughout the suburbs
Phone: 1-800-EDUCATE
Hours: varies by the program
Cost: varies by the program
tutoring.sylvanlearning.com
Sylvan has a big advertising budget and the ease of multiple locations throughout the city and suburbs, but it'll cost you. Times, locations and offerings are extensive so check out their web site.
For The Mathletes and the Numerically Challenged:
Mathnasium
Locations: Chicago and numerous locations throughout the suburbs
Phone: 877-601-MATH (6284)
Hours: varies by the program
Cost: varies by the program
mathnasium.com
Mathnasium is a nationwide, all math tutoring outfit, and friends have raved about how much their kids' math skills have improved and how much their kids actually enjoy going there. If you have a budding math super star who wants to hone some skills beyond yours or you have a kid struggling with the basics, Mathnasium can help. Again, they have a number of locations throughout the city and suburbs, so check their web site for specifics.
38,919 Private Tutors:
WyzAnts
Location: your home
Phone: (877) 999-2681
Hours: varies by tutor availability
Cost: varies by the program
www.wyzant.com
WyzAnt has nationwide lists of tutors in a number of major cities, and matches teachers with students in all major subjects and test prep skills. WyzAnt also offers tutoring in subjects like music lessons, physics and basic elementary education. This service allows you to search for, contact and scheduling tutoring online from at home. The average cost is $30-$45 per hour.
