Conventional Tutoring

Many tutors and tutoring centers focus on teaching the specific technical skills – how to solve an equation, how to calculate trigonometric ratios, how to balance a chemical equation, and so on.  Some tutoring centers are almost like factory mills, or maybe just extra math classes, with students practicing problems.  Yes, basic skills in solving math and science problems are important.  But educating a student should mean so much more than merely imparting technical skills.  People are not AI robots who are to be merely upgraded with mission-specific software (i.e. math and science skills).  People are human beings with a rich and diverse background to be considered in crafting a strategy to help them succeed.  I recall once being reprimanded by my supervisor at a tutoring center for talking with a student about potential careers that the student might wish to pursue based on their interests, instead of only focusing on teaching the student math.

A STEM Tutoring

My goal has always been something more – to help my students succeed in school, and in life.  I am more than a calculus tutor, a physics tutor, or a chemistry tutor.  I am a guide pointing the way for my students to walk towards the success that they desire.  To that end, I use all of my knowledge, education, and experience – every last kilowatt of my personal power – to help students succeed.  I take the time and effort to learn about and understand each student’s unique needs, their goals, dreams, and hopes for the future, and strive to help the student prepare for their intended future.  Sometimes this means sharing stories from my time as a professional, ending with a theme of “this is what you may face in the real world, that’s why I teach you this way.”  Sometimes this can involve helping with study skills and time management.  In giving personalized guidance to students, I take inspiration from books such as High Performance Habits, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and The Way of the SEAL.  Sometimes I help the student explore potential careers, for example by introducing them to one or more of my professional contacts who are in the student’s intended profession.  Whatever it seems the student needs to be successful, I strive to help.  My intent is to help students win and achieve their goals in school, career, and ultimately in life.  Tutoring math and science is merely a stepping stone on that journey.  One evening when I was sharing some details about a tough case with my wife, she said “Henry, that’s not your job.  Your job is just to teach math.”  I responded “no, my job, my mission, is to help students succeed.”