At Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley, California, the school’s peer tutoring program creates opportunities for students to support one another academically while developing leadership skills. The program is coordinated by Karen Hazlewood, the school’s Academic Leadership / Peer Tutoring Coordinator, who recruits, trains, and supervises student tutors who provide academic assistance during intervention periods and after-school tutoring sessions.
In addition to coordinating peer tutoring, Hazlewood serves as a math support teacher, working alongside mathematics teachers and providing additional support in Algebra 1 classrooms for students who may need help building foundational math skills. Through the program, she collaborates with teachers to identify students who would benefit from tutoring and connects them with trained peer tutors based on their academic needs.
Santa Susana High School’s peer tutoring program was developed to provide academic support for students at all levels while creating meaningful leadership opportunities for students interested in helping their peers succeed.
Hazlewood says students often benefit from learning alongside peers who can explain concepts in relatable ways and share effective study strategies. While the program provides academic assistance for students who are struggling, it also supports students who are preparing for assessments or striving for advanced academic achievement.
In addition to individual and small-group tutoring, the program offers weekly support sessions in subjects such as Chemistry and organizes study sessions for students preparing for Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Hazlewood notes that students often seek tutoring not only for academic assistance but also for reassurance and encouragement.
“Sometimes students simply need someone to confirm that they are approaching a problem correctly, talk through their thinking, or provide support during stressful academic periods,” Hazlewood explains. The program aims to create an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, building confidence, and developing a growth mindset. At the same time, peer tutors gain leadership, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills through their work with classmates.
Peer tutoring has been part of Santa Susana High School for many years, but the program in its current form has been operating for the past two years. During that time, the school has expanded and refined the program by developing a structured tutor training process, increasing collaboration with teachers, and creating more opportunities for students to access academic support.
The program serves students in grades 9–12 and provides support across a range of subjects. While mathematics and science are the primary areas of focus, tutoring opportunities also expand based on student needs and teacher recommendations.
Weekly tutoring sessions include ongoing support for Chemistry and various mathematics courses. The program also organizes study sessions throughout the year for AP courses, exam preparation, and other subjects. “Our goal is to be flexible and responsive to the needs of our students,” Hazlewood says.
Students participate in the program by enrolling in Academic Leadership, a course designed to train and support peer tutors. While enrollment is voluntary, Hazlewood also encourages students to join when she recognizes qualities that would make them effective tutors.
Academic ability is important, but Hazlewood says successful tutors are not always students who earn top grades with ease. Some of the strongest tutors are students who have worked through academic challenges themselves and developed a deep understanding of the learning process. Hazlewood finds these students are often more empathetic, patient, and able to explain concepts in multiple ways because they remember what it was like to struggle with the material.
The program looks for students who are responsible, approachable, willing to help others, and able to communicate effectively.
Tutors participate in ongoing training through the Academic Leadership course. Hazlewood develops the training collaboratively with student leaders, who play an active role in planning topics, facilitating discussions, and sharing strategies that have been successful in their own tutoring experiences. Weekly training topics include building relationships with tutees, active listening, establishing trust, encouraging communication, collaborative problem-solving, and creating a welcoming learning environment. Tutors also examine case studies, research tutoring practices, and reflect on their own experiences.
"Our overall philosophy is that tutors should act as guides who support learning through questioning, listening, and encouragement rather than simply providing answers," Hazlewood says.
Tutors are trained to use questioning strategies, active listening, and encouragement to help students work through problems independently.
Tutors may ask questions such as, “How do you know that?” “Can you explain your thinking?” or “Why did you choose that strategy?” These questions help tutors identify areas where students may need support while encouraging deeper thinking.
Another strategy involves asking students to teach concepts back to the tutor. By explaining a process or solution in their own words, students demonstrate their understanding and build confidence.
Hazlewood emphasizes that encouragement is an important part of tutoring because many students arrive unsure of their abilities. Tutors are taught to recognize effort, celebrate progress, and help students persist through challenging concepts.
The peer tutoring program offers support before school, during the school day, and after school to accommodate different student schedules.
After-school tutoring is available Monday through Thursday in a dedicated classroom where students can receive individual or small-group assistance. The program also offers tutoring before school on Friday mornings during the school’s late-start schedule.
During the school day, students can receive tutoring during Advisory, a 40-minute intervention period held twice each week. Students can sign up in advance and report to the tutoring classroom to work with peer tutors.
A typical tutoring session lasts between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on student needs and scheduling. During sessions, tutors may review class notes, work through practice problems, prepare for assessments, organize assignments, or clarify concepts. Sessions may involve individual students or small groups, particularly during Chemistry support sessions and AP exam study sessions. Peer tutors guide students through the learning process by asking questions, encouraging them to explain their thinking, and helping them develop strategies they can apply independently.
The program tracks participation and collects information to evaluate its effectiveness. After each tutoring session, tutors complete a Google Form documenting the tutee they worked with, the subject area, time spent tutoring, and reflections about the session.
During the previous school year, peer tutors documented nearly 600 tutoring sessions. The information collected helps the program identify trends, determine areas where students need support, and guide future improvements.
The program also receives feedback from students who participate in tutoring. Many students report that tutoring has helped them better understand difficult concepts, gain confidence, and feel more comfortable asking questions. Hazlewood notes that developing a more formal system for collecting feedback from tutees is a future goal. The program hopes to use student surveys and reflections to better measure how tutoring affects student learning, confidence, and academic success.
Teachers play an important role in supporting the program by recommending potential tutors, identifying students who may benefit from tutoring, and communicating areas where students need additional assistance.
During Advisory, teachers check in with students about their academic progress, well-being, and overall high school experience. Students then have time to choose activities that best meet their needs, including peer tutoring, academic intervention, independent work, or other support opportunities.
Although teachers help connect students with resources, Hazlewood emphasizes that the program remains student-centered. Students are often most successful when they choose to participate and take ownership of their learning.
One ongoing challenge is encouraging students who would benefit most from tutoring to attend consistently. Hazlewood says tutoring is most effective when students have some level of buy-in and are willing to engage in the learning process.
To address this challenge, the program works with teachers and Advisory teachers to encourage participation while creating an environment where tutoring is viewed as a resource for all students rather than a remediation program. By offering tutoring for homework help, test preparation, AP study sessions, concept review, and academic reassurance, the program seeks to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with asking for help while making academic support accessible to all students. Hazlewood says the program continues to evolve as staff look for new ways to build relationships, increase awareness, and encourage more students to take advantage of the support available.
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