As I mentioned last month, I started work with Step Up Tutoring {{LINK}}. It’s been a lot of fun getting to know my student, and it’s been a rewarding experience already. I really believe in this group that I’m working with, so I’ve volunteered my time to help them work on pedagogy and curriculum, with the goal of creating an easy way for their tutors to put together the best sessions possible for their students.
In my final conversation before officially getting into this role, I was curious what the organization’s stance was on the goal of a tutoring session: Do we want to help students complete their homework, or do we want to provide additional instruction and materials? Both philosophies have their place, but it’s an important philosophical point to have a clear answer for when preparing resources for our tutors.
The final word from up top is that the organization would remain primarily a homework help resource for students. That’s ultimately the correct choice for this group, as the tutors they recruit are not necessarily experts in any field or interested in going into education. As a result, the academic resources I put together are focused on helping the tutors best explain a topic they may not be prepared for.
However, the philosophy behind this organization is not simply “Help students complete their homework.” There is a larger goal of mentoring and relationship-building. We want the students to feel empowered, and have a positive relationship with an adult outside their family.
Relationships are important to education. If a teacher can bond with a student over the educational subject, that’s excellent. But that does not happen with every subject, or even every topic within a subject. Finding other ways to connect with a student is vital to improving their experience, and it’s most easily done in a one-on-one setup like our tutoring.
I’m excited to see how my relationship with my student grows, and to find novel activities and resource for tutors to do the same with their own students. It’s an awesome opportunity.