Sandbox Playground: Gooroo’s Partnership with Related

Gooroo has made in-person education safe and accessible for Related Companies residents in this time of uncertainty. How? In partnership with Sandbox Playground at the gorgeous Zaha Hadid Building at 520 W 28th St in Chelsea, residents of Related Companies can access 1:1 tutoring sessions with Gooroo’s highly experienced tutors! Whether students need more instruction, homework help, or learning plans, Gooroo has it covered.

COVID safe tutoring center, Sandbox Playground
Photo Credit: Kitty Dadi

The Benefits of In-Person Learning

Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the need for high-quality convenient education has never been greater. Experts agree it is crucial to minimize large-gatherings to reduce the spread of the virus. This has sadly left millions of families struggling to piece together a hybrid or remote school plan.

Notably, as reported by The New York Times, research shows that most students, “have fallen behind where they would have been if they had stayed in classrooms, with some losing the equivalent of a full school year’s worth of academic gains.” And although it is necessary for schools to continue with remote learning, the effects of crumbling educational systems will be felt for a long time.

In fact, at Gooroo, we aim to reimagine education from the ground up. Developed as a supplemental learning space, Sandbox Playground serves the pressing needs of our community. Fractured education deeply affects students. Above all, through our Sandbox Playground partnership with Related, we are able to provide a channel of stability for students and parents.

In-person tutoring creates an invaluable opportunity for students. Students can freely ask questions, minimize the distractions of daily remote schooling, and establish comfortable connections with experienced educators. All these factors play a significant role in personal growth and critical development. Our world-class educators are coming directly to the students of Related.

Truly, we are thrilled to be innovating beyond the screen.

Student in COVID safe tutoring
Photo Credit: Kitty Dadi

Safety Precautions at Sandbox Playground 

Gooroo puts the health and safety of Related residents first. And, we do not want to compromise the integrity of a tutoring mentorship. As such, we are maintaining a high standard of cleanliness by sanitizing the Sandbox Playground twice a day, as well as in between each student’s session. To be sure, Gooroo is requiring staff and students to wear masks.

With this in mind, we require guests to sanitize their hands often and receive temperature checks upon arrival. Additionally, we are constantly monitoring safety guidelines and recommendations from local officials and are committed to a safe and stress-free learning environment.

In addition, to maintain proper social distancing protocols, Gooroo’s Sandbox Playground is scheduling small cohorts of four students and four tutors in the space per session. This allows residents to maintain a minimum of 10 feet distance from other students.

Moreover, we aim to schedule the same students in each cohort weekly, minimizing unnecessary exposure while maximizing students’ study time. Finally, tutors and students will be separated by clear plexiglass at each desk, but residents are now able to reap the benefits of in-person tutoring.

Students in COVID safe tutoring at Related
Picture Credit: Kitty Dadi

The Future of Gooroo Partnerships

Families are dealing with the challenges of remote schools on a massive scale. In response, Gooroo tutors continue to identify key challenges of distance learning, create curriculums, and inspire students. We’re grateful for the opportunity to create personal relationships on a large scale through our corporate partnerships, and we constantly strive to establish a greater reach in our community.

By and large, this partnership with Related Companies is just the beginning of furthering our mission. Gooroo will bring the excitement and value of a non-traditional education back to the community.

About the Author

Leah Platt

Leah Platt

Leah is a Gooroo Courses Tutor at Gooroo, a tutoring membership that matches students to tutors perfect for them based on their unique learning needs. Gooroo offers Math, English, SAT, Coding, Spanish tutoring, and more.e.