What Being A Tutor Taught Me About Myself And The Importance Of Giving Back | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

What Being A Tutor Taught Me About Myself And The Importance Of Giving Back

I have never been more grateful and happy with a decision I made than to become involved with this tutoring program, because not only did I get the opportunity to help these children, but they helped me as well.

1210
What Being A Tutor Taught Me About Myself And The Importance Of Giving Back
Wikimedia

One of the most rewarding things in life is seeing the physical impact and difference you left on the world. During my Fall semester of my first year in college, I was able to spend time with elementary school students, as well as some high school students and assist them with their homework and concepts they were struggling with in the classroom. Helping them succeed in their school work was immensely rewarding, however becoming a friend, a role model, and a mentor to these children was even more fulfilling. Each week, I was able to walk into the walls of the tutoring center and see the smiling faces of the children and the excitement in their eyes to see myself as well as the rest of the tutors. I have never been more grateful and happy with a decision I made than to become involved with this tutoring program, because not only did I get the opportunity to help these children, but they helped me as well.

Each week, I worked with the same children, merely because they came to me because they were used to me and because I began to understand the way that these children learned and the different methods and techniques that got through to them most easily. The main child that I worked with was named Isaiah, and he was one of the most polite children I have ever met. He would work for countless minutes and then he would look up and ask me, “May I take a break and go to the bathroom?” This made my heart happy, because he saw how proud I was of him when he worked hard and persevered through his work, and he had the respect to ask my permission to take a break and use the bathroom.

Each Friday, the day after I would tutor Isaiah, he would have a test in school on his math, reading, and vocabulary skills, so our Thursday nights together consisted of us preparing him to take these tests. Some weeks, he would need more time studying, as he struggled with the material, but I was able to help him find ways and tricks to remember the material more easily, and I made it more comprehensible. By the end of every tutoring session, this child left knowing more than he came in knowing, which meant that I had successfully done my duty as his tutor.

As I mentioned, the even more rewarding experience that this opportunity provided me, was being able to bond with these children on a different level than just school work. These children became something I looked forward to every week, and I was able to teach them lessons about life, and what it is like out there in the real world, and they taught me things too. They taught me patience, compassion, and they opened my mind to a whole new type of culture as well as way of life.

The things I learned while tutoring also reflected back onto what I learned throughout my first classes on the foundations of education.I had seen the idea that all children learn in different styles and methods that work the best for them, and that it may take before finding that specific method. I also saw reflected back from class while tutoring that, accommodations for certain students can be very challenging, however very important as well. I worked with students who were on 504 plans as well as IEPs and I had to change my own way of thinking, in order to understand theirs, and ultimately help them succeed in the task at hand. The most important thing that I was able to finally understand and see was how fulfilling and pleasing it is to be someone’s teacher, and see these children’s faces light up when they finally get it, and it was all thanks to my guidance, support and confidence in their capabilities. In conclusion, my experience as a tutor was overwhelmingly beneficial to my understanding to the field of education, and I was able to help children learn things not only within the textbooks, but within the world around them.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

180602
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

7580
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

452748
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23446
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments