Flexible class time expanded to help more students

The P.E.I. Department of Education has expanded a pilot project that provides students extra tutoring in math or language arts concepts they find challenging.

Amherst Cove Consolidated started a Flex Time program for math last January. Nineteen more schools across the province began similar programs this fall.

It speaks directly to the challenges that we've had in previous years.- Tamara Hubley-Little

Teachers monitor students' work and identify gaps in learning. Time is set aside for those who are having challenges for tutoring in small groups.

Tamara Hubley-Little, director of leadership and learning education with the province, expects this program will help kids who have been promoted to the next grade without a complete grasp of subjects from the previous year.

"We have about 35 per cent of our students who are working below grade level," said Hubley-Little.

"I think it speaks directly to the challenges that we've had in previous years, with students being placed, and not having a common way of supporting those students."

Hubley-Little said the program has been successful at Amherst Cove, and that school is adding extra tutoring time for language arts this fall.

With another 19 schools on board, she expects to see improvements in the provincial assessment results in the next few years.

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