Working as a Tutor

Tutoring someone is just hard, not because the subject is hard, but finding a way to explain the subject in such matter that is easy to understand for the student. When I started the tutoring job, I thought I would be really good at it. I was known for my math skills, so I was recommended as a tutor by my teacher. I thought, I would probably be the best tutor for math because I understood every aspect of math, therefore it shouldn’t be too hard to explain it. Boy, was I wrong. When I started working, I was probably the worst at explaining. People avoided sessions with me and reserved time with my fellow workers. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. At first, they seemed mean because my English wasn’t perfect enough for them and they would say hurtful things. As I worked with different kinds of students, I learned many things about teaching and learning methods.

learning mindset is the start of learning

When I get a new student walking into the tutoring center, they often have a mindset that they are not good at that subject and they think they are bound to fail their classes. Most of the students who come into the tutoring center were adults, with full time jobs and family to take care of. They had dropped out of school at a young age, and they’re coming back to school to improve their lives. They had forgotten most of the things they learned, and they’re fearful of the homework, the quizzes, and the exams. As a tutor, it’s harder to work with people like that because they kept thinking they can’t do this because it’s hard. But, on the other hand, I have the power to change that. I try my best to show that it’s not that hard if you understand what is happening. Math becomes easier if you understand it rather than memorizing formulas or methods. I try to show that, and I try to show what they can do as long as they understand the subject. The tricky part was that how do I show them or make them understand it in a simple way?

everyone has a different way of learning

As I became tutor, I understood that everyone learns differently. Anyone can learn anything as long as it is presented in a way that they understand it more. School is not the perfect system for most people, because most people learn visually or hands-on. It’s hard for most people to understand something after reading the textbook even if the textbook is a good one. As a tutor. I have to ask them how they understand certain things. For example, I would ask them “Are you a visual learner?” so that I can draw things out to help them understand a problem.

having the right supervisor is important

I currently work at the tutoring center at the Honolulu Community College, and my immediate supervisor is Charles Miller, who is in charge of the tutoring center. In my opinion, he is one of the smartest people I know. He helps the tutors with difficult sessions, and he also teaches in an interesting ways, so it stays in your memory longer. Once, he played out loud an Indian Music, just to tell us not to do it. Even though he might seem odd at first, he is actually teaching us things as he is supervising me and my fellow workers. Another point is that if you like your supervisor, you will most likely going to stay in that job even if it pays you low. Supervisors have the power to make you see things in a different light. Charles, my boss, would notice if I am going through something, and he would talk to me about it. Some other supervisors might just tell you to “man up” and do your job. I worked at many different jobs, but I worked at the tutoring center the longest, mostly because I have this weird attachment to the tutoring center. It almost feels like second home.