Award-Winning 8th Grade Social Studies Tutors

America's #1 Tutoring Platform

Who needs tutoring?

FOXNBCCBSUS NewsTIMEUSA Today

TUTORS FROM

  • YaleUniversity
  • PrincetonUniversity
  • StanfordUniversity
  • CornellUniversity

Award-Winning 8th Grade Social Studies Tutors

Jane

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Jane

Current Undergrad Student, English
Jane's other Tutor Subjects
ACT Prep
ACT English
ACT Math
ACT Reading

I am a current student at Princeton University, obtaining a major in English with minors in Environmental Studies and Musical Theater. I graduated from Sewickley Academy in 2016 as a member of the Cum Laude Society with highest honors for all semesters. I am an AP Scholar with Honors, an Academic Al...

Education

Princeton University

Current Undergrad Student, English

Test Scores
SAT
1540
ACT
34
Anna

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Anna

Current Grad Student, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Anna's other Tutor Subjects
ACCUPLACER ESL - Listening
ACCUPLACER ESL - Reading Skills
ACCUPLACER ESL - Sentence Meaning
ACCUPLACER Language Use

With each of my experiences working with children my passion for education has grown. I first came to Austin to work with a Spanish literacy intervention program through Americorps called A Community for Education (ACE). After my service with ACE I taught at a dual language (Spanish-English) school ...

Education

Oberlin College

Bachelors, Comparative American Studies

The University of Texas at Austin

Current Grad Student, Communication Sciences and Disorders

Deborah

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Deborah

Master of Arts, English
Deborah's other Tutor Subjects
6th Grade AP Language Composition
ACT Writing
Business
Business Writing

My MA in English with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composition, together with my MA in Adult Education and Continuing Education, qualified me to have a stellar forty-three-year career as a full-time college professor predominately in the University System of Georgia. I have successfully instructe...

Education

Georgia State University

Master of Arts, English

University of Missouri-Kansas City

Master of Arts, Adult and Continuing Education

University of Georgia

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Deborah

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Deborah

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Deborah's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
Algebra 2
Geometry
Math

Hi. I love math and I love teaching math. I am a state certified high school math teacher. I have 31 years of classroom experience. I currently teach Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics.

Education

Clark Atlanta University

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics

Katherine

Certified Tutor

Katherine

Current Undergrad Student, Computer Science
Katherine's other Tutor Subjects
ACT Science
ACT Writing
Adult Literacy
AP Computer Science Principles

Hi, my name is Katherine and I've been tutoring in various capacities since 2012. Although I'm currently studying Computer Science at Swarthmore College, I have expertise in a number of subject areas and I'd love to help you out.

Education

Swarthmore College

Current Undergrad Student, Computer Science

Test Scores
SAT
1530
Samantha

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Samantha

Juris Doctor, International Law
Samantha's other Tutor Subjects
1st-12th Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade Writing
1st-8th Grade Math
3rd-5th Grade Science

I believe every student has a unique learning skill set and every teacher continues to learn from her students. To ensure every student receives the best tutoring, I strive to offer excellent communication and a diverse set of teaching skills.I obtained my Bachelor in Business Administration from th...

Education

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Bachelor in Business Administration, International Business/French

Vermont Law School

Juris Doctor, International Law

Christopher

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Christopher

Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Christopher's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
Algebra 2
Math
Middle School Math

I am a current student at Rutgers University on track to major in Electrical Engineering. I tutor a wide range of math from elementary level up to high school and college. This range includes algebra, trigonometry, pre-calc and calculus. I have had many experiences through my high school and outside...

Education

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Bachelor of Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1420
Jerry

Certified Tutor

Jerry

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Jerry's other Tutor Subjects
ACT Writing
SAT Mathematics
Test Prep

Hey, I enjoy teaching math, computer science, and the SAT! Contact me if you are interested in these.

Education

The Texas A&M University System Office

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
SAT
1570
Amy

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Amy

Bachelor in Arts, French
Amy's other Tutor Subjects
College English
College Essays
Comparative Literature
Conversational Italian

I have a B.A. in French and a diploma in Business French from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Paris. I also speak Greek, Italian, and Spanish.I have worked as a private tutor in the area of foreign languages, essay writing, and a variety of other subjects for more than a decade. In that time...

Education

Hofstra

Bachelor in Arts, French

Gabrielle

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Gabrielle

Bachelor in Arts, Biology, General
Gabrielle's other Tutor Subjects
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP European History
Biology

I am recent graduate of Binghamton University, with a Bachelor of Sciences in Biology. I am deeply committed to the value of education, and believe that learning is a gift and an opportunity for growth that should be available to everyone. For this reason, I am passionate about tutoring and helping ...

Education

SUNY at Binghamton

Bachelor in Arts, Biology, General

Test Scores
SAT
1550

Meet Our Expert Tutors

Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.

Julie

Languages Tutor • +4 Subjects

I am a graduate of LaSalle University in Mexico City. I received my Bachelor of Science degree inBusiness Administration with a focus on management. I am also a certifiedteacher of Spanish. Since graduation I have worked in Human Resources and I havealso been tutoring children and adults in private and public schools, as wellas online. I am very enthusiastic about teaching my native language because Ifeel that in that way I am enriching my students' education and experiences inlearning aspects of another culture. One area where we seem to have the mostfun is prepping for exams and writing assignments. I am a firm proponent ofeducation, and as a tutor, my approach is based on each of my students'level of proficiency, their goals, and their learning pace. I focus on providinga pleasant and safe experience for my students. I prepare lesson plans that arecreative and introduce new topics in a fun way, spending enough time reviewingthe material. Afterwards, I allow students time to practice on their own. I encourage you to contact me to schedule so togetherwe can start achieving your goals

View Profile

Anna

ACT Writing Tutor • +27 Subjects

I honestly love tutoring. While working in finance and publishing over the past decade, I have independently tutored students from many premiere NY and NJ high schools and universities. I continued tutoring even after joining a major private equity firm because of how much I enjoy working one-on-one with students. Breaking down seemingly complex subjects is one of my favorite pastimes--it's part of the reason I also enjoy writing about arcane financial topics like quanto spreads on sovereign CDS. I've also developed a newfound respect for the challenges students face when undergoing years of testing after developing my own study plan to pass the first two CFA exams (I'm taking the third exam in June). This experience has shaped how I work with students to tackle test-taking anxiety and master difficult material quickly.I have both a BA and MA in English from New York University.

View Profile

Catherine

Algebra Tutor • +15 Subjects

Hello! My name is Catherine Raj and I am a second-year medical student at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. I graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Neuroscience in 2022. Since 2015, I have tutored children from ages 3-16 in areas of math and reading, as well as their school curriculum. Apart from tutoring here, I have worked for the Kumon Learning Center as a teaching instructor for 5 years. While I am certified to tutor a broad range of subjects, I have years of experience with tutoring young children in math and reading, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, phonics, reading comprehension, and much more. I connect with elementary and middle school students very well, as I believe in understanding children in order to give them a fulfilling tutoring experience. I also very much enjoy tutoring pre-algebra and algebra as those are my favorite math subjects, as well as my best! My students and I have always had a deeper level of understanding beyond the books and I pride my style of teaching on that aspect.

View Profile

Grace

ACCUPLACER Arithmetic Tutor • +22 Subjects

I am a graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education (3.95 GPA) and New York University (3.98 GPA). I have worked with students of all ages. I love adapting my teaching style to the individual needs of each student to help them fulfill their greatest potentials.

View Profile

Sarah

Elementary School Math Tutor • +20 Subjects

I have been a special education teacher in Somerset County for the last 5 years. I have worked in self-contained classrooms and am currently working as a 4th grade resource room Reading and Math teacher. Next spring, I will graduate from Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education with an Ed.M in Reading Education. I will be a certified Reading Specialist as well as a certified supervisor. I am currently a certified Literacy Specialist.

View Profile

Chester

Creative Writing Tutor • +18 Subjects

I love English, and good writing. Since I like working one-or-one or with a small group, tutoring is a great way for me to help young people communicate more effectively in writing. As a social scientist, I also like to talking about statistics and social science. I like to teach by example and ask lots of questions so students can discover answers themselves. When not working, I like to watch movies, exercise, and write science fiction.

View Profile

Maria

ACT Prep Tutor • +15 Subjects

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Denison University. I am currently pursuing an M.D. at Case Western Reserve University. I've been a college-level teaching assistant for both introductory biology and general chemistry. Besides chemistry, I really enjoy tutoring for test prep (ACT and MCAT) because I view these types of tests to be a collection of puzzles to solve. It's a lot of fun helping students to figure out the logic behind these puzzles and apply it broadly, and it's incredibly rewarding to see this integration of knowledge translate to a high score. When working with students, I like to challenge them to identify the purpose of the problem or question and what underlying reasoning can be applied broadly in future questions. In doing so, students gain more long-term usable skills and the ability to think independently.

View Profile

Juliet

Adult Literacy Tutor • +12 Subjects

Passionate social justice advocate eager to serve as a mentor to the youth. Sociologist at heart. I am the rose that grew from the concrete.

View Profile

Theo

ACT Prep Tutor • +25 Subjects

I am a current undergraduate student at Columbia University in New York City, pursuing a Bachelors of Arts in History and Economics. These are two of the subjects that I enjoy tutoring the most, but I also have a penchant for tutoring and learning about math and literature. I am passionate about tutoring because I benefited from the personalized guidance of great tutors in my past and I really enjoy seeing students push themselves and develop an appreciation for subject areas or even the mental exercise of test-taking thanks to tutoring. I also believe that tutoring a subject area is the greatest way to maintain and develop understanding of its material for both the student and the tutor. I was an active tutor in high school in mathematics and history and as I take more classes in college, I look forward to tutoring students in those in which I understood the material really well. In my spare time, I enjoy reading about history, camping, biking, and traveling when I can (or exploring the incredible city of New York)!

View Profile

Qin

Conversational Mandarin Tutor • +14 Subjects

Living in Great New York Area since 2008. Graduate student at Columbia University.Major in Finance + Economics (Undergraduate Program), and Public Administration (Graduate Program), Average GPA is 3.65.Speak Mandarin, English and Japanese.Subjects cover East Asian History (China & Japan), International Relation, Public sector (NPO related).

View Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Students often find it challenging to distinguish between correlation and causation when analyzing historical events or social trends—for example, understanding that two events happening together doesn't mean one caused the other. Many also struggle with analyzing primary and secondary sources critically, particularly when evaluating bias and perspective in historical documents. Additionally, students frequently have difficulty applying abstract concepts like cause-and-effect chains across multiple historical periods, and they often memorize facts without understanding the broader systems and institutions that shaped events. Understanding how geography, economics, and politics interconnect is another common pain point that requires deeper analytical thinking.

Strong 8th Grade Social Studies tutoring focuses on teaching students to ask analytical questions rather than just recall answers—like "Why did this happen?" and "What evidence supports this claim?" instead of just "What happened?" Tutors help students construct evidence-based arguments by teaching them to cite specific examples from primary sources, evaluate competing interpretations of the same event, and trace how decisions by historical figures had ripple effects across society. Practice with real historical case studies—examining why certain policies were enacted, what groups benefited and who was harmed—builds critical thinking skills that transfer across all social studies units.

Students should learn to evaluate sources by asking: Who created this? When and why? What perspective are they representing? What might they be leaving out? For example, a newspaper article from 1865 about Reconstruction will have a very different perspective depending on whether it was published in the North or South, and by whom. Strong analysis goes beyond identifying bias to explaining how that bias shaped what information was included or emphasized. Tutors help students practice this by comparing multiple sources on the same event, noticing what details differ, and understanding that historical truth often requires synthesizing multiple perspectives rather than accepting a single account.

Many 8th graders write essays that list facts chronologically rather than building an argument supported by evidence. Tutors teach students to structure essays around a clear thesis that answers a specific question (like "Why did the Industrial Revolution transform society?"), then use specific historical examples as evidence to support that thesis. They also help students practice explaining the significance of their evidence—not just stating a fact, but explaining how it proves their point. Common areas of focus include organizing multiple paragraphs around different aspects of an argument, using transition sentences to show how ideas connect, and concluding by reflecting on the broader implications of their analysis.

8th Grade Social Studies requires students to hold multiple variables in mind simultaneously—understanding how geography influenced economic development, which shaped political power structures, which affected social hierarchies. This systems thinking is cognitively demanding because students must resist the urge to oversimplify and instead recognize that historical outcomes rarely have a single cause. Tutors help by using visual tools like concept maps and timelines that show how different factors interact, then practicing with specific examples: How did geography make certain regions agricultural while others developed manufacturing? How did that economic difference create political tensions? How did those tensions lead to conflict? Breaking complex systems into connected steps makes the relationships clearer.

Tutors teach a structured approach: first, identify what type of source it is (letter, speech, photograph, government document) and note the date and creator. Next, read for basic meaning—what is the main message? Then, analyze perspective—what does this creator want readers to believe, and why? Finally, consider limitations—what doesn't this source tell us? For example, a slave narrative provides crucial first-person perspective on slavery, but a single narrative doesn't represent all enslaved people's experiences. Students should practice comparing primary sources that offer different viewpoints on the same event, which builds deeper understanding than analyzing sources in isolation.

Strong tutoring helps students see that historical patterns repeat—understanding why the Great Depression happened helps explain economic recessions today, and studying civil rights movements illuminates modern social justice debates. Tutors encourage students to apply analytical frameworks from history to current events: What groups have power in this situation? Who is affected by this decision? What competing interests are at play? This deepens both historical understanding and critical thinking about the world. Students who can trace how past decisions created present circumstances develop genuine curiosity about social studies rather than viewing it as disconnected facts to memorize.

State assessments typically test not just content knowledge but the ability to analyze sources, identify cause-and-effect relationships, and construct evidence-based responses. Tutors help students practice reading complex primary and secondary sources under time pressure, identifying key details quickly, and writing short analytical responses that cite specific evidence. They also focus on common question formats—comparing two historical perspectives, explaining why an event had significant consequences, or analyzing how geography influenced a region's development. Regular practice with released test items helps students recognize patterns in what's being asked and develop efficient strategies for tackling multi-step analytical questions.

Connect with 8th Grade Social Studies Tutors

Get matched with expert tutors in your subject