NMSA students are getting the chance to work with Santa Fe community members who have direct experience working in the fields of science and math this
year!
Math Instructor Dan Newell has launched an innovative tutoring group (now in its third week), partnering with the Santa Fe Alliance for Science (SFAFS) – an organization of more than 100 professional scientists and engineers who work with schools in the greater Santa Fe area to help improve K-14 math and science education as well as to stimulate student interest in those subjects. Though Mr. Newell’s work with one Alliance for Science member (retired Los Alamos National Labs scientist Gerry Garvey) began last year, he and Gerry engineered a more deliberate tutoring “pilot” program, changing the group’s meeting time to be in the middle of the day during Academic Seminar (instead of early in the morning before school) to boost attendance, and increasing the number of SFAFS volunteers who pitch in to help tutor students – the program is now up to 5 tutors.
Engagement with an organization like SFAFS offers students another voice speaking to them about what they’re studying in class, to offer fresh strategies and ways to understand a subject with which students might be struggling. Mr. Newell gives his students a chance to go through a “reteaching/re-taking” process if they need to retake a test, and he reports that working with SFAFS scientists when studying to retake a test has shown students’ grades bumping up “1 to 2 letter grades”! The one-on-one attention that a larger group of volunteers can offer students is invaluable.
“Math is cumulative and builds on itself,” he says. “The impact someone can have working with students one to two hours a week is substantial, and can help students achieve and perform better.”
He will continue to work with Head of School Cindy Montoya, Gerry Garvey, and the rest of the tutors to refine and improve the program, semester by semester.
“These guys are all brilliant scientists, they’ve had amazing careers – it’s a gift that they can come be with our students!”
A huge thanks to the Santa Fe Alliance for Science for all the great work you do in our community!