A steady and long-term academic tutor is like having a regular doctor. Preventative medicine protects one from possible disease. In the same manner, academic tutors prevent academic dis-ease by lowering stress levels, academic anxiety, and ensuring that people feel confident about their learning experiences.
We have seen parents in panicked concern, students “freaking out,” and other situations that are uncomfortable, but essentially, preventable. Let’s take a more specific look into the matter.
Having a long-term academic tutor has many invaluable benefits:
1. Succeeding Feels Good
– This is simple, obvious, and yet easily over-looked. Setting goals, impressing teachers and parents, and achieving respectable grades naturally boost self-esteem. It’s a better “Selling-point” to a wary student than the statement, “Getting good grades is essential for success.” The student may be eager to rebel and prove you wrong (as some parents know all too well). Bottom line: A consistent academic tutor helps students do well and feel good about their progress.
2. Preventing Loss of Confidence
– It’s common for the struggling student to feel inadequate, ashamed, and possibly, “stupid.” We have seen the personality of students open and shine once the good grades become consistent. Some students’ transformations are amazing. With one academic tutoring student, after getting As and Bs on her tests, she became light-hearted, enthusiastic, and noticeably happy. In some cases a creative academic tutor may be the best solution.
3. Students Benefit from One-on-One Attention
– This type of interaction is just not possible with the nature of our over-crowded school systems. We have worked with students that require specialized attention. ADD, autism, generalized anxiety, and other possible conditions have led us to students who really need special attention from an engaging academic tutor. One amazing individual, who has autism, made one of our academic tutor’s days when he said, “I just want to be normal. Working with you makes it easier.”
4. No More End-of-Semester Stressful Debacles
– Many people have the tendency to wait until their son or daughter displays severe symptoms of academic distress before finding an academic tutor. One of our academic tutors was once hired to help a senior from failing Chemistry and Economics. There were 5 weeks left in the year and she was facing the possibility of not graduating. Of course, we didn’t let that happen. However, throughout, the student was miserably worried and the parents were very concerned. It turned into a rewarding situation. But it’s best to be preventative; it’s not worth the stress.
5. A New Perspective
– Academic tutors have the ability to provide insights that no one else may be privy to. Many students feel comfortable telling academic tutors that which they’d never tell their “old” or “mean” teacher. In one example a 5th grade student accidentally cursed around an academic tutor, and asked, “Are you going to tell my mom?” The tutor responded, “Look. I don’t think it’s a good idea to curse, but hey, I’m no tattle tale!” The same day, this fifth grader opened up to the academic tutor and told him why he was having problems in school. Of course, his mom appreciated the insight, the academic tutor built trust with the student, and they still regularly work together.
6. Treating a Student as a Unique Individual
– Rudolph Steiner, an advocate for better educational practice, once said: “Love of the child is at the basis of all our educational endeavors, and that all teaching is done through inner, living experience.” (The New Essential Steiner, Robert McDermott, Lindisfarne Books, 2009, pg. 245) I think Steiner is wisely suggesting that education needs to be tailored to each student’s particular interests, needs, and abilities. Academic tutors can teach to the unique individual. Learning is different for every person. A long-term academic tutor is a consistent resource that engages the student and brings life to the learning process. This makes learning enjoyable. Ultimately, this is the source that fuels student progress, promotes future success, and reassures parents that their child is on the right track to a bright future.
Unlike a doctor, an academic tutor generally isn’t responsible for heavy life or death situations. However, as mentioned, an academic tutor can help make the life of a student (and the student’s parents) much simpler, more enjoyable, and less stressful.
