Teaching Purpose with Grace by Olivia

Teaching Purpose with Grace by Olivia - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Although I have been fortunate enough over the years to have had the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of ways with a variety of organizations, I have come to regard the time I have spent tutoring in Ms. Amira’s Academic Support Classes, as well as during Advisory and Enrichment, as the most fulfilling. The magnitude of the effect of this experience stems largely from the fact that it developed organically, not from previous thought or planning.

Over my schooling career, I have helped to tutor many students with varying needs and for various reasons. As a third grader, I helped not only younger students learn to read and write, but also a classmate who had immigrated from Ukraine. In the following years, I would put the skills I gained here to use in my own classrooms, at preschools and, most recently, in Ms. Amira’s classroom.

Beginning in February of my junior year, I began to work with Western Sierra students at the request of Ms. Amira. Working with these students, all of a variety of ages and abilities, on almost every subject offered at Western Sierra proved to be one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced, but also one of the most rewarding. It is nearly impossible to think of a better feeling than when a student is able to understand a concept after working with you – whether it is for a few minutes or a few Enrichment periods. The smiles on their faces and the pride in their achievements when they’ve done well are unforgettable.
One of the most unique aspects of volunteering in Ms. Amira’s class is that she makes sure that the “tutoring” or “peer helping” isn’t just one way, it’s reciprocal. The free exchange of ideas that is possible in one-on-one or small group tutoring helps everyone involved in a variety of ways, which is why it is at the core of her philosophy. For me personally, having to communicate clearly and effectively with a diverse group of students, oftentimes only minutes after being introduced, seemed initially to be very daunting. Throughout the time I have spent in Academic Support with Amira and other students, however, I have overcome this challenge. I have grown tremendously as a person, not only because of the fact that I helped others, but because in turn, others helped me.

Serving as a student tutor required taking responsibility and, therefore, a leadership role, in regards to each student that I helped to succeed. In being a tutor, I took on the challenge of helping students to excel, especially in areas that they needed extra help in. This entailed that I needed to help students feel that they were capable of doing the best work that they could. Peer tutoring helped me to advance many skills vital in effective leaders, including clear communication and an unfailingly supportive nature. I feel it is important to reiterate the reciprocal nature of everything that occurs in Ms. Amira’s class – as I grew in these key skills, I made an effort to challenge my fellow students to grow as well.

Although she would never let me tell her, Amira helped give me purpose during my last two years of high school. Without her support, I’m sure that I would have succumbed to the pressures of college applications and AP classes by abandoning school and social involvement. I know for a fact that she helped me to grow miraculously in my self-confidence, and her tendency to challenge my actions forced this shy girl to find her voice. She always encouraged me to share my opinions with others – including teachers – which I never thought I would find myself doing. If I had never worked with and become friends with Amira, I wouldn’t have challenged my high school administration for the honor to speak as one of the Valedictorians at our graduation. Without Amira in my life, I may not have had the courage to work as hard as I did to get into my dream school, Saint Mary’s College of California.