The First Step of Tutoring: Establishing Beliefs in Those Who Don't Believe

What many people don't realize is asking for help is considered a strength not a weakness.

I remember in middle school getting a tutor was practically the same thing as walking naked in front of the entire student body. It was embarrassing and mortifying. The fact that tutors can help you learn and understand challenging topics, and soon surpass other students in your class, never enters students' minds.

As a sophomore in high school I was determined to change this stereotype. I did not know how, at the time, but what I did know was that I was passionate about math and Spanish. I also knew so many people that found math to be difficult and it was the one subject that tended to kill a student's confidence. That, I learned in my many years in school, is one thing you need not only in your personal life but academic life as well. My goal of the year--use my tutoring skills and ability to help one student understand a challenging subject and rebuild that deteriorating confidence. I wanted more than anything to establish a sense of belief within students, who may not believe in themselves.

Now came the challenging part: the tutoring session.

Worries: What if they ask me a question I don't know the answer to?

Opportunity: Establish a friendship and comfortable environment for the student, one in which they trust me enough to ask questions if they don't understand.

That is exactly what I did. As soon as I entered the house of my first "victim" I established a comfortable environment in which I encouraged students to ask questions, praising them when they did. It is really important to make students feel welcomed to ask questions. I was underway to establishing my goal.

Once my student felt comfortable asking questions, they began to understand not only how to solve the problem, but where and how to derive the answers. Asking questions not only allowed them to get an A on a homework assignment but understand how to do future problems and succeed in future topics. 

It is the confidence that builds within a student that allows them to not question themselves when approaching challenging topics. I encourage students to always attempt difficult problems using their "gut" feeling that always ends up to be correct in the end. Don't think too much--you know the answer-- is the advice I give to my students. They have the tools, the skills, and the ability to overcome the problem and they will once they have secured those feelings.

Confidence is the first step to achievement. With it a student, in my case, can overcome unclear and difficult subjects.

In my natural being, I will leave you all with a quote:

The job of an educator is to teach students to see the vitality in themselves. Joseph Campbell

In my five years as a tutor, my main priority is to uncover each student's confidence, one that may start as hidden.