
"Heart Math Tutoring was my favorite time of the week. I loved the eagerness of the children about learning and mastering math, probably for the first time."
-2018/19 HMT Volunteer at Westerly Hills AcademyAbout Volunteering
Heart Math Tutoring provides a fun way to build relationships with students while delivering academic skills crucial to their success. Anyone who can commit one volunteer hour per week can make an impact. We would love for you to join us to begin tutoring in Fall 2023! Please provide your time and location preferences below.
Frequently Asked Questions about Volunteering with Heart
How has Heart Math Tutoring’s program format changed in response to COVID-19?
In 2022/23, the majority of tutoring is taking place in-person at elementary schools across Charlotte, North Carolina, while tutoring at select school sites is virtual. You can select your setting for 2023/24 by choosing an in-person or virtual option below. For in-person tutoring, masks will be optional and COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged but not required for in-person tutors. We will continue to ask in-person tutors to stay home if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. HMT policy may change throughout the year depending on community health metrics and CMS and CDC guidelines. For virtual tutoring, volunteers and students meet on Zoom and use fun and impactful curriculum modifications on Google Jamboard.
How is Heart Math Tutoring protecting students and tutors in the virtual environment?
HMT is committed to ensuring the highest standard of safety to protect students, tutors, and staff in the virtual environment. This includes using a secure technology platform, screening tutors, and providing ample tutor training. In 2022/23, virtual tutoring will continue to take place with in-person Heart Program Coordinators on-site with students helping students log into sessions from schools. The Heart Program Coordinator also oversees sessions and troubleshoots any issues experienced by remote volunteer tutors.
Who can volunteer?
Anyone who wants to help children increase their confidence and knowledge in math is encouraged to become a tutor – no math or teaching experience required! HMT tutors come from a variety of backgrounds, from college students, to professionals working full-time, to retirees. The requirements to volunteer are: must be a U.S. resident, 18 years or older, cannot be a current high school student (in accordance with school district policies), pass a background check, and must be able to commit to tutoring for at least thirty minutes or one hour per week.
When do you need tutors?
Generally speaking, tutoring sessions are held Monday – Thursday during the school day from the end of September to the end of April. You can select your school and day of the week in the sign-up form below.
Do you accept volunteers year-round?
Yes, we appreciate volunteer sign-ups throughout most of the school year! Ideally, volunteers begin tutoring in late September and continue through late April in order to provide students with as much time in the program as possible. However, when a volunteer signs up later in the school year, we are normally able to add students to the program. Many students need extra help in math, and every time a volunteer signs up, an additional student can be tutored.
It's already the middle of the semester - can I still volunteer?
Yes! Heart Math Tutoring enrolls students on a rolling basis. You can get started anytime between September and February. You do not need to wait until the beginning of the next semester.
Math is not a strong subject for me. Would I still enjoy Heart and be an effective tutor?
Yes! No math, teaching, or tutoring experience is required. You will be following an easy, fun curriculum that features hands-on activities and math games. The lessons involve cubes, playing cards, number shapes, and other manipulatives that allow students to internalize patterns and have fun with the numbers. HMT is designed to strengthen foundational number sense at the elementary level, which ranges from counting, to addition/subtraction of whole numbers, to single-digit multiplication. That 98% of students to date have demonstrated significant growth in math in our in-person program is evidence that the curriculum is easy to follow and anyone can be an effective tutor.
Do I have to come up with activities or bring materials for the tutoring sessions?
No, a significant focus of HMT has been making tutoring easy and accessible for community volunteers. HMT provides all the activities, materials, and training for its tutors, laying down most of the groundwork so tutors can focus their energy on tutoring.
How am I trained?
Volunteers commit to weekly tutoring sessions from the end of September to the end of April. The first one or two of those weekly sessions are hour-long orientations. Training sessions will vary based on your HMT tutoring experience.
First year tutors will attend two one-hour tutor trainings, one virtual, and one school-specific session. For in-person tutors, this second session will be in person at your selected school site. Virtual tutors will be on Zoom with your Program Coordinator. Second and Third year tutors will NOT be required to attend the virtual Part 1 orientation but will attend the school-specific one-hour training session. During this training, Heart introduces volunteers to the curriculum and session logistics, equips volunteers with a beginning knowledge of the broader context of student and school need, and for virtual tutors, a walk-through of the technology used during tutoring sessions. This year our Four+ year tutors will attend a new orientation that covers a more in-depth look at our curriculum and student engagement.
Thereafter, volunteers receive email communication between sessions, support during tutoring sessions, and optional training workshops. Additional resources will be provided for virtual tutors to familiarize themselves with the technology used during virtual tutoring sessions.
Will my schedule stay the same throughout the year?
As in past years, Heart Math Tutoring will make every effort to arrange consistent tutoring times with schools so that when you commit to a tutoring time, you can count on your ability to participate in tutoring at that time/day throughout the school year.
Do I see the same student(s) every week?
Yes! The relationship you will build by supporting the same student(s) each week has a tremendous positive impact, and you and your student(s) will enjoy working together to accomplish math goals throughout the year. Each tutoring session is 30 minutes, so most volunteers tutor two students back-to-back for 30 minutes each.
What if I'm having trouble completing the background check?
CMS requires all volunteers to complete a background check at cmsvolunteers.com before working with students, so thank you in advance for your part in keeping students safe! Please see the attached document with support for the most common issues volunteers have when completing this process. If you have further questions please reach out to daisha.delano@heartmathtutoring.org.
How are students selected to participate in Heart Math Tutoring?
Teachers at Heart Math Tutoring partner schools nominate students to participate in the program who are 1-3 years behind in elementary math and would not otherwise have access to resources for private tutoring. HMT staff members individually assess nominated students to determine whether they would benefit from the program and which math concepts need focus. HMT students are in grades 1-5.
How is Heart Math Tutoring protecting students and tutors in the in-person environment?
As of July 2022, masks will be optional and COVID-19 vaccinations are encouraged but not required to tutor in-person during the 2022/23 school year. We will continue to ask in-person tutors to stay home if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. HMT policy may change throughout the year depending on community health metrics and CMS and CDC guidelines.
Volunteer Tutoring Times and Locations
The majority of tutoring in 2023/24 will take place in-person in elementary schools across Charlotte, North Carolina, but tutoring at a few school sites will be fully virtual. You can select your preferred tutoring setting below.
Please sign up using the form below. We will contact you over the Summer with more details and specific information about getting started!
Map of Heart Schools
Click the pin on the map below to see 2022/23 school names and locations.
Billingsville Elementary
124 Skyland Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 11:45-12:45 PM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:15-2:15 PM
Blythe Elementary School
12202 Hambright Road, Huntersville, NC 28078, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:00-9:00 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:00-1:00 PM
Bruns Avenue Elementary
501 South Bruns Avenue, Charlotte, NC, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:15-9:15 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:45-2:45 PM
Charles H. Parker Academic Center
1546 Walton Road, Charlotte, NC 28208, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 1:15-2:30 PM EST
Hour 2 (virtual): 2:50-4:05 PM EST
Cotswold Elementary
300 Greenwich Road, Charlotte, NC 28211, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 8:15-9:30 AM EST
Hour 2 (virtual): 1:00-2:15 PM EST
Devonshire Elementary
6500 Barrington Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 8:00-9:15 AM EST
Hour 2 (virtual): 11:50-1:05 PM EST
Elizabeth Traditional Elementary
1601 Park Drive, Charlotte, NC 28204, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 1:45-2:45 PM
Hour 2 (in-person): 2:45-3:45 PM
Endhaven Elementary
6815 Endhaven Ln, Charlotte, NC 28277, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:30-9:30 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 2:00-3:00 PM
Hidden Valley Elementary
5100 Snow White Ln, Charlotte, NC 28213, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 10:00-11:15 PM EST (Tues-Fri)
Hour 2 (virtual): 12:00-1:15 PM EST
Highland Renaissance Academy
125 West Craighead Road, Charlotte, NC 28206, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 9:30-10:30 AM, Tues-Fri
Hour 2 (in-person): 2:15-3:15 PM, Tues-Fri
Huntingtowne Farms
2520 Huntingtowne Farms Ln, Charlotte, NC 28210, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:25-9:25 AM (Tues-Fri)
Hour 2 (in-person): 10:50-11:50 AM (Tues-Fri)
Joseph W. Grier Academy
8330 Grier Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:00-9:00 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:00-1:00 PM
KIPP Change
5431 Hickory Grove Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 10:10-11:25 AM EST Tues-Fri
Hour 2 (virtual): 11:40-12:55 PM EST Mon-Thurs
Lansdowne Elementary
7200 Folger Dr Charlotte, NC 28270
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 11:00-12:00 PM
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:30-1:30 PM
Merry Oaks International Academy
3508 Draper Avenue, Charlotte, NC, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:00-9:00 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:00-2:00 PM
Montclaire Elementary
5801 Farmbrook Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 7:45-8:45 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:30-2:30 PM
Myers Park Traditional
2132 Radcliffe Ave, Charlotte, NC 28207, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 12:30-1:30 PM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:45-2:45 PM
Oakhurst STEAM Academy
4511 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 1:35-2:35 PM
Hour 2 (in-person): 3:00-4:00 PM
Pineville Elementary
204 Lowry Street, Pineville, NC, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:15-9:15 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:40-2:40 PM
Rama Road Elementary
1035 Rama Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 8:00-9:00 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 1:15-2:15 PM
Shamrock Gardens Elementary
3301 Country Club Drive, Charlotte, NC 28205, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 7:50-8:50 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:30-1:30 PM
Smithfield Elementary
3200 Smithfield Church Road, Charlotte, NC 28210, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 7:50-8:50 AM
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:30-1:30 PM
Starmount Academy of Excellence
1600 Brookdale Avenue, Charlotte, NC, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 8:15-9:30 AM EST
Hour 2 (virtual): 1:00-2:15 PM EST
Statesville Road Elementary School
5521 Milhaven Lane, Charlotte, NC 28269, USA
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): 9:30-10:45 AM EST (Tues-Fri)
Hour 2 (virtual): 1:15-2:30 PM EST
Sterling Elementary
9601 China Grove Church Road, Pineville, NC, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (virtual): Tues-Fri 9:45-11:00 AM EST
Hour 2 (virtual): Mon-Thurs 11:15-12:30 PM EST
Westerly Hills Academy
4420 Denver Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208, United States
Tutoring Times: Hour 1 (in-person): 9:00-10:00 AM EST
Hour 2 (in-person): 12:00-1:00 PM EST
Volunteer Interest Form (2023/24 School Year)
Charlotte students are in need of volunteer tutors! Please complete the form below with preferences to begin working with students in Fall 2023. We will reach out over the Summer with specific schools and tutoring times, and more details about getting started. Thank you for making a difference in elementary students’ lives! (Please note – to volunteer in Charleston, SC, please sign up at www.heartmathtutoring.org/charleston/#volunteer)
Volunteer Recruitment
If you are interested in supporting our recruitment efforts, please check out our resources below and help us spread the word to your friends and family, place of work, faith group, or other organization!