Finding Balance: Distance Learning Drives Up Demand For Tutors In Sacramento County

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — For many parents, studying at home means scrambling to get help. Parents all over Sacramento County say this time they can't do it alone and some are turning to tutors for help.

"You truly feel like you're failing at parenting, working, teaching," said Nicole McKane, a Fair Oaks mom. "I mean, it's just across the board."

That feeling of failure is one many parents like McKane have felt with the stress of balancing work and school. She said it catches up quickly. With another round of distance learning coming, she plans to look for help for her kids.

"They don't really do distance learning well and that's not on their teachers," McKane said. "They did a fantastic job, but it's just not conducive to my kid's learning abilities."

With more shifting online, McKane is one of the many moms and dads searching for a solution. The search for a tutor surged a bit this week, with posts on social media groups and calls made to tutoring agencies. Tim Haas, a Sacramento tutor, said he's feeling that increase.

"There's been a definite uptick in July and this week more than last week," Haas said.

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Some opt for online tutoring, especially for older students. Most others, like McKane, want some sort of hands-on, in-person learning for her kids. That's what some groups are hoping to provide by coming together to create their own support system to make things work this time around.

"We're in this time unprecedented and every family is just trying to make it work for themselves," Carey Knecht, a Sacramento mom and member of the "Pandemic Pods - Sacramento" Facebook group.

The group aims to help families with school and child care.

"We see our role as connecting each other with resources for other families in the same boat," Knecht said.

Resources like tutors and micro-schools, which a small group of kids that learn together. Knecht said some hope to hire credentialed teachers to lead the way. Other micro-schools just hope to move through distance learning together.

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"Instead of every parent in their own home helping their child connect remotely," Knecht said. "Maybe one parent helps children in the morning and another in the afternoon."

Local tutor Tim Haas believes learning at a distance will hit kids hard again.

"They're going to be very severely impacted by this," Haas said. "Parents should do something, whether it's a free program, a tutoring program, or assistance in getting the work done."

Of all the age groups, Haas says elementary school-aged kids will be impacted the most. He said they learn best through hands-on learning. Any help a family can get, Haas said, would make a difference.