Students queue up for UNI-CUE

For some students, heading back to school also means heading back to the University of Northern Iowa Center for Urban Education's Tutoring Center.

Housed at the University of Northern Iowa Center for Urban Education (UNI-CUE), the Tutoring Center serves Black Hawk County students in grades K through 12. The center was started in 2009 when parents who had seen older children assisted by various UNI-CUE programs wanted help for their younger students. The learning environment at the Tutoring Center is success oriented and offers opportunities for learners to succeed academically, increase their self-esteem and become more productive citizens within their community.

The center not only benefits K through 12 students but also gives UNI students, typically upper-level undergraduate students, a chance to hone their skills as well as earn two hours of college credit. Tutors work one-on-one with students to improve reading, English, composition, social sciences, math and other skills as requested. Tutors gain practice designing and implementing individualized lesson plans as well as satisfaction in seeing their efforts have impact.

"I have learned that my lesson plans will never go the way I expect them to. Because of this, I have learned how to teach on the fly," said a former UNI education major.

Parents often affirm how uplifting and motivating this consistent one-on-one time with a college student is to their child along with the direct assistance in mastering schoolwork. "This program is an asset to my child's schooling. As long as the program is available, we will continue to use it," said a parent of Waterloo elementary student.

More information on the Tutoring Center and other UNI-CUE programs can be found on their website.

Did You Know?

UNI's Trio Program housed at UNI-CUE was selected as one of only two recipients in the State of Iowa to receive a TRIO Educational Opportunity Center Grant from the U.S. Department of Education to Improve Adult College Readiness.