A lot of things about this school year are different, and families are feeling the strain as they adapt to blended or remote learning. Luckily, one thing is still the same: Dial-A-Teacher, the UFT’s free homework help line, is up and running every Monday through Thursday afternoon from 4 to 7 p.m. 

The hotline offers K–12 students and their parents homework support from licensed teachers in English, math, science and social studies. The UFT members staffing the hotlines can help families in 10 languages. 

Students and parents may reach the service at 212-777-3380 or online at www.dialateacher.org.

Jorge Silva, a 5th-grade dual language teacher at PS 143 in Queens who has worked at Dial-A-Teacher for 13 years, called the program a welcome change from his day-to-day experience teaching in front of a large group. “It’s more personal and enjoyable,” he said, both for him and for the students and parents who call. They “really appreciate having a human voice on the other end of the line” as a reassuring alternative to trying to research answers on their own, he said. 

Not only is it more personal to speak to a teacher for homework help, it’s also more pedagogically sound. “We’re not Dial-An-Answer,” said Silva. 

UFT Staff Director Anthony Harmon, who spearheaded the program and runs Dial-A-Teacher, explained that, instead, the teachers “walk students through the process using questioning methodology.” Rather than giving students the answers, Harmon said, “we help kids find their way to the answers.”