Tutoring boosts student self-respect and confidence
One of our students, Katie, came to me and said that learning was just not her thing. She referred to herself as “slow” and “challenged”. She placed these labels on herself, even though they were far from true.
Tutoring is more than just about academic help
Many people think tutoring is primarily study assistance for academic development, test prep, or school admissions. Tutoring certainly encompasses all that, yet offers so much more. It is also about the development of non-academic skills, including increased self-esteem in all areas of life.
Tutoring helps a student understand how to learn, in their own unique way. We each have our own learning style and the right tutor unlocks that door to a broader and deeper understanding of not only the material at hand, but also to one’s inner self. Students gain an entirely new awareness about their own abilities. That translates far beyond the classroom.
When students realize that they really do have it in them to grasp the information, they can become not only independent learners, and but also lifelong learners. Seeing the world, and their own capabilities, with new eyes and a new attitude is a game changer. Where they once may have hesitated and held back, they are now willing to speak up and assert their wisdom, insights, and ideas.
That confidence can go from the classroom to the boardroom, or any room. That self-esteem means as much as acing the test, getting the diploma, or admittance into the school of choice. That empowered self-respect carries into every future challenge, decision, and opportunity faced.
Boosting students’ self-respect and confidence
Tutoring experiences enable students to gain self-respect and confidence for a lifetime.
Yes, Katie had initially come to me discouraged and not willing to learn. However, everything clicked once she began tutoring with her Algebra Gooroo, Jamie. The problems started to make sense, she knew which equations to use, and she began participating in class. Tutoring offered much more than academic improvement for Katie. She became more proactive when talking to her friends, she was excited to try new extracurriculars like figure skating. Not only that, she became excited to take on new challenges.
A successful tutor relationship increases student self-respect and confidence and reveals an excitement for learning. A willingness to try new things increases the joy of life and we obtain that willingness when we believe something is possible. Tutoring shows students what is possible within them and that knowledge lasts a lifetime.
As award-winning American writer Seymour Simon said, “I’m more interested in arousing enthusiasm in kids than in teaching the facts. The facts may change, but that enthusiasm for exploring the world will remain with them the rest of their lives.”
Studies show that tutoring improves work habits, confidence and attitude, and social and behavioral skills. A student acquires an increased ability to manage their own learning strategies and can apply this to all situations going forward, in and out of school.
Gooroo values each student’s potential
In her memoir, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai wrote, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
We here in the US are fortunate that everyone has the right to go to school and the importance of education has become my passion. I’m forever grateful for the tutors and mentors who helped me on my path. I may not be able to change the world, but it’s my mission to change the world of tutoring. I too believe what Malala wrote — one child, one teacher can change the world. Unleashing the potential in every student is the purpose behind Gooroo, the tutoring company I founded.
Many students enter the tutoring relationship overwhelmed or frustrated. Tutoring is personal, relational, and interactive; it’s not a “mama bird” shoving information down the baby bird’s throat. A student who feels self-conscious in the classroom is free to ask questions without fear of judgment when working one-on-one with their tutor. A tutor provides concurrent feedback and action steps to take between sessions. When a student realizes that they can learn, their self-esteem soars. Self-confidence in one area spreads to the whole — it is not compartmentalized. It exudes and expands.
Tutoring is more than academics; it’s a personal growth opportunity (for the tutor, too.) Tutoring encourages higher levels of thinking, new and different ways to look at things, and allows a student to take responsibility for their own learning. It happened with Katie, and I hope that all students can gain a passion for learning like she did. We are proudly part of that equation, changing the world one student and tutor at a time.
About the Author
