The greatest and most direct connection we have with students is our tutors. That means it's essential to provide a strong foundation for tutoring through training. EPA Tutors' curriculum was devised by the officers and Ms. Huang. Using Pam Harris' accredited "Development of Mathematical Reasoning" workshop, tutors are tasked with watching all four modules, pertaining to concepts like counting strategies and functional reasoning. These teaching strategies help our students learn and dissect future problems rather than simply memorize and not retain current concepts.

In addition to the workshop modules, new tutors observe a live tutoring session to see these instructional methods applied in practice and better understand how to engage with students effectively. Tutors also complete a one-month subbing and shadowing period before being assigned a long-term student. This allows them to gain hands-on experience, receive guidance from experienced tutors, and build confidence before taking on sustained responsibility for a student’s academic growth.

A major principle EPA Tutors prioritizes is improvement. We’re not perfect, and that’s okay, because we’re always getting better. Part of getting better means holding weekly meetings with our team of tutors. During these meetings, each tutor shares what has worked with their students and what has not, and from there the entire team works together to analyze challenges and develop solutions. After implementing these all-tutor meetings, we’ve observed greater success in tutoring sessions—whether that means students staying more engaged or developing a stronger understanding of concepts.

To further support our tutors and continue advancing the organization, our leadership team also holds project-specific meetings focused on improving internal systems and developing new initiatives. These meetings allow us to respond to tutor feedback, strengthen resources, and ensure EPA Tutors continues evolving to better serve both tutors and students. In the future, we plan to host more student-tutor parties to foster in-person connection.