Making A Difference by Darra

Making A Difference by Darra - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

Opportunity. For many, it is not what they do or do not know that is holding them back from being successful in school. Instead, it is their ability to access help and feedback from someone who cares. It is extremely important, especially in public school, that each pupil feels as if they have as equal a chance to succeed as the student sitting next to them; the only difference being how hard they are willing to work. Peer tutoring was an opportunity to contribute to students’ high school experience and be a positive role model. I believe that devoting time to others, no matter how large the scale, is making a difference.
For the past two years, I have had the opportunity to work as a peer tutor through my high school writing and math labs to assist students who were struggling. I never knew what the assignment had in store- whether it would be a history essay, creative narrative, or geometry assignment. I was responsible for helping my peers understand the concept, and through our collaboration was able to guide them to new understandings. As a fellow student, I provided valuable insight from my own success with writing and math. My objective was to first establish trust so they would be willing to learn from me; then, I learned how to approach situations as an equal rather than a superior. I’ve always believed that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Therefore, I wanted to make a difference. It was important to me that students viewed our time time together as worthwhile.
Going into the tutoring experience, I predicted there might be some challenges. Often times, students expected immediate improvement. However, more often than not, the gap between their current level of comprehension and where they needed to be was significant; my job was to transition them from one place to another. Sometimes, students’ deficiencies made it difficult to provide specific assistance. Therefore, I had to be patient and trust the process. Additionally, a handful of students came to the lab with negative attitudes. This was especially troublesome in that I had to assist them despite their unwillingness to learn. In retrospect, these were the students who I enjoyed working with the most. Although their reluctance was at first uncomfortable, after getting to know them, I found that their reservations masked their insecurities. Their less-than-positive academic background had scarred them. It was these students who I felt made the most improvements, and I was proud to have contributed to their success.
Officially, I was the “teacher.” However, in reality I was as much a student as they were. Prior to peer tutoring, I wasn’t a particularly patient person. However, I learned patience, for it was essential to my success. Furthermore, because the students were vulnerable and hesitant, it was imperative that I was caring, compassionate, and kind. This approach was far more beneficial to their learning process. For many, learning in a large classroom prevents them from reaching their potential. But, in a more private setting- such as peer tutoring- no one gets left behind. To me, this is invaluable so that each student receives ample opportunity. Throughout the process, I became passionate about helping these students. Their prior failures were not important; we simply focused on helping them reach their goals.
Contributing to other people’s lives is not always a headline in a newspaper or a thousand dollar donation. Change occurs when passionate people choose to devote their time to causes by which they are inspired. My inspiration was my belief that hard work should be the only thing that separates those who are successful in their studies from those who are not. Although revising a history paper or explaining a geometry proof may seem like a small act to help raise a grade point average, the lasting impact on the student could modify their entire attitude on how to be successful.