Different kinds of student intros

As I’ve explained, this year I’m meeting with each student and an adult in their care team before we match them with a tutor. These meetings have given me such helpful insights into who could best support them and what tools they need to succeed. I’m grateful that we took this big step to improve the service we provide and, honestly, to connect more meaningfully with our students.

Not every meeting follows the same flow. Sometimes, the student is chatty and excited to tell me all about their classes, barely letting their adult sponsor get a word in. I once met with a six-year-old who wanted to read me a book during our meeting. Other times, it’s like pulling teeth—but by the end, we usually find a good rhythm, and I still come away feeling like I’ve gotten to know kiddo and the context they’re learning in. Some students are open to anything; others have specific requests.

Of course, not every meeting goes smoothly. Sometimes, the student doesn’t want to be on camera (which we require), doesn’t want to talk about school, or is resistant to tutoring altogether. This puts TriTogether in an interesting position: even if the student is being urged to get academic support, we can’t force them to log on, turn on their camera, and show us their homework. I also have to think about our tutors—volunteers who are eager to make a difference for these kids. I trust their ability to engage a student, even one who isn’t excited about tutoring, but I also don’t want them facing no-show after no-show when they’ve taken the time to prepare and be present.

So how do we balance it? It’s not a perfect science—it’s not even a beautiful art—and I rely heavily on the student’s care team to be honest about how realistic it is to get the student online and engaged. The most important thing, I’ve found, is being as clear as possible with our tutors about the student’s attitude towards tutoring so that they’re prepared for any barriers. We’ve had great matches so far this year—including some that began with a bumpy start—and that’s because we were clear about expectations, upfront with our tutors, and lucky to have such dedicated volunteers who are willing to put in the time and effort to show students that tutoring can be a positive experience.

At the end of the day, these meetings remind me why we do what we do. Every student is different, and every story matters. Taking the time to connect before tutoring begins has made our program stronger, more personal, and—most importantly—more responsive to the real needs of the kids we serve.