Question:
It is 4 p.m. on Tuesday. What will you do next? Write about your
extracurricular pursuits. Why and how do you choose the activities you are
involved in? How do your activities reflect your values and affect your school,
community or the world? (500 words or less)
3:00
p.m.
I stood in
front of the classroom, chalk in one hand and worksheet in the other, waiting
for silence. A dozen pairs of eyes looked up at me eagerly, ready to
learn, and so I began to write. With every stroke of white that graced
the blackboard, twelve pen strokes on paper followed. Section by section,
I enriched the students with the curriculum for the day: algebra, geometry and
reading comprehension.
4:00
p.m.
“Any
questions?” I asked, after having gone over all of the material.
Their hands
went soaring, each trying to get higher than the other as if the world would
end if these questions went unheard. The enthusiasm was rather charming.
Among the outstretched arms, the wiggling fingers and the “oohs” and
“aahs” was a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand. Each
student had his/her own desire and very clearly exemplified it by asking
question after question, sometimes even asking a new question before I was
finished answering the previous one.
This
reaction was, however, not uncommon. As a tutor, I was used to endless
questions. I was used to spending more time answering questions than
actually teaching a lesson and I was used to having to repeat myself. On
occasion I would feel tired and worn out, but never did I feel frustrated or
discouraged. I knew that each student surely had the potential to
understand just as much as the next student, but it was all a matter of time.
Some students required more attention than others, but I had no problem
with being patient and cooperative.
As I soon
learned, the tutoring center was not only a place for my patience and ability
to cooperate, but also a place for my encouragement. Working with middle
schoolers soon proved how frequently the average adolescent said “It’s too
hard!” or “You’re so stupid!” and these were phrases I did not like to hear.
It was disheartening to know that so many students lacked the confidence
to believe in themselves and in each other. Despite devout focus on math
and reading, my most important lesson to my students was always a lesson in
confidence. I was constantly urging children to believe in themselves,
and constantly urging others to stop picking on those who did not. I
could never stress enough how important it is for one to have faith in oneself,
especially when problem solving in real life or in academics.
Though I never could have imagined myself as a tutor a year ago, I now cannot see myself doing anything else with my spare time. The feeling of accomplishment that accompanies enlightening the mind of another is strong. I feel quite privileged to have a job that comes with the benefit of watching, and helping, others work to their full potential. Tutoring does leave a lasting impact on the students who partake in it, and I am proud to say that my lessons hold more than one purpose.
