Lakeland STARs Tutoring

Presenter: Julia Phillips, Public Health Science, Global Public Health Scholars

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For my practicum project, I was a tutor with the Lakeland STARs program at UMD. I was able to tutor both a first grader and a second grader in my three semesters in this program. I worked alongside other tutors to work with students on math and reading as well as arrange and facilitate activities for the tutees. For example, I presented to the tutees on healthy habits and why they are important and facilitated a healthy eating game for them. Limited literacy is a barrier to healthcare access, so it is important to increase literacy levels beginning at a young age. Risk factors for low literacy rates are economic disadvantages, public insurance, and language barriers. Residents of PG County are members of high-risk groups in regard to literacy levels. 30% of PG county residents speak a language other than English at home, and at the elementary school the tutees are from, 80% qualify for free or reduced lunch. Tutoring helps increase literacy levels and enables the kids to have a better chance at accessing healthcare despite barriers. Through my practicum, I learned the importance of a structured environment to help kids better understand the material they are learning. I also learned that in the future, it would be beneficial to integrate health education into tutoring services to better increase students health literacy and understanding.