Penguin Pod Tutoring

Professional educator Lydia Kuznicki provides personalized integrated small-group tutoring ("multi-family pods") from professional educators on Mercer Island. This tutoring is individualized using modern-day differentiated learning techniques adapted for the virtual learning environment. Lydia Kuznicki is the founder and owner of Penguin Pod Tutoring, a company she started in the summer of 2020 after seeing how local parents were looking for a high-quality solution to the work-school balance.

Meet Watterson! Watterson is a smart little blue penguin and he'll happily give you useful tips throughout the web site.

In 15 years of professional experience, licensed to teach in two states, Lydia has worked in both public schools and private schools, most recently in secular private schools. Lydia managed a private preschool as the director and directed elementary school plays and coached children in school physical activities. She has instructed in multiple-grade classrooms including kindergarten (K-2 and K-3), taught science at all grade levels, and tutored in a variety of subject areas at a nationally-recognized learning center. Lydia loves learning and she finds peace and joy working with children. She is committed to finding a way to help every child learn, partnering with parents and educators in a non-stop quest for empathy and excellence.

What Makes a Penguin Pod Special?

The Penguin Pod Tutoring model is leading the emerging world home-share in-person tutoring. In a typical pod arrangement, a minimum of six students (but no more than 12!) work together in a multi-grade setting in multiple homes across a neighborhood or area, typically assigned to different home each day. In a Penguin Pod, the Pod Tutor is a professional educator who works with Pod Parents and Pod Kids to accelerate learning maximize success in virtual remote learning environments. With Penguin Pods, children keep familiar settings while parents gain the confidence that their neighbors and neighborhood will become stronger and more cohesive with professionally-managed pod learning environments.

A professional tutor helps the parents set up their home educational space to maximize learning for children no matter what their style

Penguin Pods are not expensive! Tuition at a preschool can cost $2,000 a month or more in Bellevue. School Districts are offering school-day care plans for $120 a day or more. Private tutoring services start out at $35 per hour per child. Between four and twelve children can receive personalized attention in a Penguin Pod for less than $10 per hour per child.

How Does it Work?

A Penguin Pod is a small group of children focused on remote learning, tutored by professional educator Lydia Kuznicki. Pod Parents form agreements to share responsibility for providing space in a single home or homes (known as Igloos), providing the physical learning environment and a responsible adult in each Pod "homeroom" (an Igloo!) for most of the day. Pod Kids are the students attending remote learning and a monthly tutoring fee is charged for each Pod Kid.

Pods are Easy to Start!

Get together with your neighbors in the area and find enough homes to cover a five-day schedule each week with a backup plan every day. Lydia will consult with you in that process and provides tuition discounts to people who , but it's usually well worth it!

• Pod Parents agree on responsibilities and Igloo schedules
• Pod Parents pick their own Pod Name with Pod Kids
• Each Pod Parent signs an individual agreement for services with Lydia, a simple contract with protections for everyone
• Secure your spot with your fellow Pod Parents by paying a refundable deposit at the time of contracting
• The rest is simple: Lydia brings two decades of educational leadership and practice to your home and every Pod Kid benefits alongside your kids.

Learn more about policies and recommendations on the Extra Credit page.

"You can benefit from a licensed professional educator with a clean background check! Having a trained teacher in your home is essential for success in today's new virtual learning settings."

How do the Pod Parents and Lydia Work Together for the Pod Kids?

Pod Parents provide the Igloos each day. Pod Parents retain their relationship with the School District and handle all of their child's confidential information. Lydia, your personal Pod Tutor, works with Pod Kids, supporting their remote learning activities and assessing their progress and skills in-person, creating effective collaboration with Pod Parents and a recipe for success. See the Extra Credit page for detailed lists.

What Does It Cost?

Each student in a Penguin Pod pays a monthly tutoring fee of $1,800 per month, with discounts offered for multiple students from the same household. We'll credit you a loyalty bonus early in 2021 as thanks for sticking with our growing business and a Referral Bonus for any brand-new pods who form thanks to your kindness toward Lydia's woman-owned small business.

"For less than the cost of most preschools, you'll be rewarded with a more flexible schedule that accommodates the work you do, the rest you need, the family you love, and the life you want."

We're Committed to Full-Service Tutoring

For every month you continue your agreement, Lydia will provide individualized tutoring for your child or children

• during the school day
• in an Igloo (a Pod Member's Home)
• every day that the School District is in session, up to 25 days per month.

Lydia's calm approach to daily tasks and fun will help the children remain focused and keep them engaged.

"Professional educators apply differentiated learning practices to meet the needs of all age groups and learning styles, a must for pod success."

Lydia is committed to collaborating with parents and will also participate in

Pod Kid Updates - Lydia meets individually with Pod Parents to highlight the successes, challenges, and needs of their children, working with them to address those needs in the Pod and with the help of School District resources, as needed and desired. One Saturday Learning Explorers activity per quarter, integrating sports, physical fitness, and the development of a rich understanding of the earth. This community group relationship builder will be developed by Lydia in conjunction with the School District curriculum, approved by Pod Parents, and hosted by a rotating group of Pod Parents in various parks around Mercer Island, subject to availability.

Our Social Statement

Every child can and should be afforded the opportunity to succeed as a learner, no matter how that journey might unfold. Penguin Pod Tutoring is committed to excellence for every child. Our core values are respect, honesty, and kindness, for everyone, no matter what..

"Don't be afraid to admit that you need help! That's what Lydia tells the Pod Kids, giving them the opportunity to learn that they can do a lot of things on their own and find great joy in learning and growing."

Get the Extra Credit!