SAN DIEGO (KGTV)-- Parents, trying to balance working at home, and becoming their children's teachers, are turning to outside help. Many are desperately looking for qualified tutors as families safely go back to school. But we found that the demand for tutors is not matching up with what is currently available.
As the start of the distance-learning school year approaches, parents are beginning to feel the pressure.
"Desperate," parent, Cortney Lemos-Crawford laughed. "Desperate because of my own sanity!"
Lemos-Crawford says she and her husband are fortunate to still have their jobs during the pandemic. But it is demanding. Distance learning for their 8-year-old daughter in March was not easy.
"It's very difficult, as you can imagine, to work full-time and have your child present, let alone present and needing your interaction," she said.
She says it was hard for her daughter to concentrate at home, in a relaxing environment, with toys all around. She also does not want her daughter's formative years to suffer because of her own work schedule. So for weeks, she has been searching for a personal tutor.
Jamie Evans and her partner Hannah Obradovich are former teachers who now run Ignite Learning Center in La Jolla. They provide K through 12 and Special education support around the county.
"We have been inundated with parents wanting us to form 'Pandemic pods,' garage groups, working outside, working with small groups with different age children to hire us to be their teachers," Evans said.
But Evans says the supply of accredited teachers and tutors are not even close to the recent demand from desperate parents.
"We are in a rush to hire more teachers," Evans said. "I already talked to three people this morning, and I'm going to an interview right now."
Lemos-Crawford says her tutor search so far has come up empty.
"I've had a couple of leads, but those people have been snatched up," she said.
But she is not giving up. She even made an email dedicated to finding her daughter the right education coach.
"Helpteachmykids@gmail.com. Email me if you're interested in working with my daughter!" she said.
Ignite Learning center is hiring credentialed teachers and accredited tutors. They offer flexible hours. Parents interested in tutors can sign up for month-to-month contracts, instead of semester or annual contracts, to accommodate possible changes in school schedules. For more information, click HERE.
