Tutoring the Future by Tiffany

Tutoring the Future by Tiffany - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

For the past three years, I have been a part of the Math Honor Society, and this year I have been honored to serve as the chapter’s President. Ever since I was young, I knew math was something that brought me pure, authentic joy. I believe math is truly transformational in each and every one of our lives--whether it be used at the grocery store, to construct a building, to calculate a risk, or even designing a piece of clothing. The impact that math has on our world isn’t realized by the students in my school.
As President, I helped spread this knowledge not only within the organization, but within the school and my community. I, along with the help of my sponsor, implemented a district wide tutoring initiative to tutor students in the middle school and high school students in subjects from Algebra 1 through Calculus BC.
The growing pains of this program was tough to bear at first. Kids seemed unfocused and had an "I don't care" attitude. It became frustrating to go back every week and make no progress. As time went on, it dawned upon me that there was a deeper problem than students simply just having a lackadaisical attitude.
Teachers often have to rush through lessons and don’t have time to go back and assist those who are struggling to comprehend a topic. This neglect causes students to essentially become disengaged in the classroom. Once I realized this, I put myself in their shoes to understand the particular disconnect in order to help them achieve and succeed. I changed my approach to one that made my pupils feel comfortable asking questions and engaging in the lesson. This experience taught me that searching for the root of the problem is essential in helping those in need.