Students who spend their free blocks in the Upper School (US) Almy Library may have noticed their schoolmates completing homework and studying with peers in the glass-walled room adjacent to the Quiet Room. This year, the school’s peer tutoring program is expanding to include drop-in sessions in the Library. Students can show up without an appointment to seek peer academic support for any subject.
Led by Middle School (MS) and US Academic Support Specialist Michael Cadman, US Learning Specialist Cayes Jarda, and Student Leaders Jodie Chen and Aanika
Mohta (both ’25), the peer tutoring program currently has 60 tutors and 15 tutees. The leaders estimate more students will attend the new drop-in sessions. The program is in a transitional phase in its first year after the departure of former MS and US Academic Support Specialist Charlie Myers, who left to pursue a full-time position at Boston Collegiate Charter School, Mx. Jarda said.
Modeled after the Academic Resource Center at Harvard University through a collaboration with Harvard’s Associate Director for Peer Tutoring Jill Eisenberg, the school’s program aims to provide academic support comparable to what colleges offer. Over the past year, the implementation of a cohort system, or four small subsections of peer tutors guided by a student leader, has streamlined tutor training, Mr. Cadman said.
Offering personalized tutor- tutee matches, the peer tutoring leaders hope to ensure every student receives the help and support they desire, Mx. Jarda said.
“With our school’s core values at the helm, we should be able to help each other succeed,” they said. “We have 60 tutors who are eager to help their classmates. With the values we hold at BB&N, there shouldn’t be a kid left behind, and we can all work together to push each other to reach our goals, whether they be academic, athletic, arts, or beyond. Wecancarryeachothertothefinish line.”
Students who reach out to Mr. Cadman and Mx. Jarda to request a peer tutor rarely have lower grades in their classes. Instead, most students are seeking to improve already high grades, Mx. Jarda said.
“Kids who come on their own typically already have really great grades,” they said. “Rarely does a student with lower grades seek us out on their own. Many students are referred to us by their teachers, advisors, or parents, and we’ve been able to support these students, but I have seen the most success when students recognize and ask for the help themselves. I’m trying to make this accessible, so more kids will come and seek us out.”
It may be more challenging for students with lower grades in their classes to approach peer tutors since confidence is critical when asking for help, Mx. Jarda said.
“I think it’s harder for someone who’s struggling a little to ask for help, which is funny because you’d think it’d be the opposite,” they said. “I think that correlates with confidence. We are building a community where seeking support is normalized for everyone. The heart of our program isn’t about grades—it’s about learning, growth, and supporting each other.”
With the new cohort system, Mr. Cadman sees the future of the program as being largely student- driven, he said.
“Our cohort leaders are on the front lines, listening to what students are saying, and they also have a group oftutorsthatthey’releadingbecause they have been tutors in the past. It’s a peer tutoring program, so we want it to be student-based, and as the program grows, we want to make it so Mx. Jarda and I are there behind the scenes supporting the program, as it’s truly led by students.”
However, the peer tutoring leaders are currently facing some difficulties in advertising the updated program. Jodie, who has been involved in the program for three years and has tutored three students, observed fewer students requesting peer tutors this year.
“This is in part due to the culture at our school,” she said. “It would be beneficial to take a step closer to having a school culture where it’s not a bad thing to be tutored, and it’s not like you’re failing a class. You might just need some extra help and guidance from a peer.”
Students are often able to build more personal relationships with someone who has similar experiences, Jodie said.
“When you receive help from a peer, they know exactly what you’ve been going through because they probably took your class last year, so they can be more relatable than a teacher,” she said.
Peer Tutor Grant Du ’26 meets with his one tutee once a week during his free block. Like Jodie, Grant noticed that there are significantly more peer tutors than tutees this year, he said.
“There might be a stigma or people not wanting to reach out because it’s their peers and not their teacher. Part of it is having students understand that it’s similar to reaching out to a teacher, and nothing negative is going to come out of it.”
Mr. Cadman and Mx. Jarda recommended that students interested in peer tutoring reach out to them or scan the QR code on posters around the school. Carl Chen and Lukas Wellesley (both ’26) were recently announced as the next two cohort leaders.
