A quote that I believe reflects my ability and impact as a tutor comes from American technology entrepreneur and author Vivek Wadhwa, in which he states:
“What you want in a mentor is someone who truly cares for you and who will look after your interests and not just their own. When you do come across the right person to mentor you, start by showing them that the time they spend with you is worthwhile” (Wise Old Sayings).
Helping Others Grow and Seeing the Results.
I never would have thought that becoming a student tutoring would have as much of an impact that it has on my desire and satisfaction in helping others succeed. What stood out to me was the fact that throughout the year, I have developed my ability to not only teach concepts to others, but also to become a mentor to the students that I tutor. Personally, I truly care about the success and wellbeing of others, and I enjoy assisting others in order to see their growth. As a result, throughout the year I have shown interest in the student’s success during my tutoring sessions. Moreover, I have offered insights based off of my own experiences with the assignment or class that they have requested my help for, in addition to the fact that I have always provided feedback for improvement. I have also followed up with the students I have tutored in order to find out how they did on the specific assignment that I had helped them with. I am always willing to help those in need, and after every session I ask to ensure that they have all of their questions answered.
I truly care about the students that I tutor, and it is a gratifying feeling to observe the growth of a student in addition to their success. Throughout the semester, I have observed my growth not only a teacher, but as a mentor-like figure that empowers others in order to help them attain success. Throughout my time as a tutor, I encountered several bumps along the way. There were times where I did not remember a concept, specifically in math and chemistry, and there were also times where I could not properly revise certain segments in essays. Despite these conflicts, I learned to remain calm and to remain in control of the situation. In doing so, I was able to troubleshoot by referring to colleagues or to research topics that I needed to review. My ability to problem solve and my desire to help students in and out of school definitely highlight my experiences as a tutor, and I am looking forward to continuing with the program during senior year.
Traits I Improved as a Tutor
Being open-minded as a tutor was an important contribution to my success this year. There were times where students questioned my writing revisions or my solutions in math problems. In doing so, I realized that, despite being a tutor, everyone makes mistakes. I had gained a better awareness for this, and I developed an open mind when dealing with discourse with my teachings.
Creativity was also key this year as a tutor, especially when dealing with the same tutees on a consistent basis. I had to mix up my teaching methods in order to remain engaging. Specifically with my out-of-school tutees, I researched different methods for teaching a math concept in order to provide a unique way to learn. Thinking creatively is a crucial aspect to distinguish yourself in the academic and business world. To me, thinking out of the box in tutoring was a great way to reinforce my creative mindset.
Proper communication was a crucial component of my success this year. In order to effectively teach students, I had to learn how to properly communicate in a way that would allow them to fully understand what was said. I accomplished this by breaking steps down in a simplified manner and explaining my rationale. Communication plays an essential part in everyday life, and continuing to exercise this skill in tutoring has provided great experience in that regard.
As a tutor, I believe that I was able to set an example for others. At times, I felt as if people took notice of my tutoring sessions and my ability to teach concepts. As a result, I have receive positive acclaim and compliments from underclassmen for my willingness to spend extensive time with a student in order to ensure that they were able to effectively learn. In turn, many of these underclassmen hope to become tutors in order to provide the same type of help and care that I give them. I believe that it is important to set an example for others, and I pride myself in my ability to tutor effectively and with the proper mindset. Modeling for others is a great skill that can help other people around me.
Engagement is an important facet of tutoring, where a fun but informative tutoring session can be the difference between a motivated and an unmotivated learner. I like to make my tutoring sessions personal, and I like to ask question about the person to gauge where they are at with the subject that they are asking for help in. I also like to teach information in a concise, yet informative manner in order to keep the tutee engaged.
As a tutor, I have gained a larger sense of empathy through my tutees. I found importance in checking up with a student outside of tutoring in order to see if they have grown in the subject that they are struggling in. In addition, I always check in to see what grades my fellow tutees have received in tests or essays that I have helped them prepare for. When they receive a grade that they did not want, I feel their sense of disappointment and I try to find ways to help them to do better on the next assignment that they receive. Empathy is an important trait to have as a human being, period. Showing interest in another’s well-being is an action that I continuously engage within my relationships with others, and practicing that skill in tutoring has been great experience in continuing to care for others.