As an aspiring teacher, being a tutor has immensely helped me prepare for my career. I have learned so much from teaching my students and I was able to apply the theories and skills learned from university to develop a stronger understanding on how to build rapport and engage students in their learning.

The biggest insight I have taken from tutoring is that learning does not have to be mundane. Learning should be fun and exciting, and the only way to achieve this is by understanding and learning who your students are. The most important standard when gaining your teaching accreditation, is to know your students first, and this has never felt more true. Taking time to develop rapport with your students means that you can tailor your teaching to suit their needs. When students feel appreciated and included, we create a positive learning environment where they build the confidence and love for learning.

With this, I have seen first hand that no two students are the same. Each student brings their own unique identity to the class, which forces me to be creative and adapt to my surroundings. I currently have two year 12 math students, and I have to approach each lesson differently. One learns best through scaffolding and explicit teaching, while the other learns through making links to real world applications. This has taught me that teaching is not a straight forward, one size fits all approach. It’s about finding multiple ways to teach a topic that tailors towards each individual student. Now all I have to do is be able to set differentiation techniques when heading to a class of 30 students!

Tutoring has been the window into what it’s like being a teacher. It has helped me discover my teaching philosophy, build confidence and made me realise that I have chosen the right career. I am thankful for the experience that tutoring has given me.

Celdric Grecia