My reflection on tutoring at O'B.

I would have never thought that one day I would be tutoring English to high school students. I am going, to be honest, I am not a huge fan of tutoring in general and I probably would not sign up for that myself. Nevertheless, I have got into a service-learning class and I am glad that it happened.

I was not really familiar with service learning classes. I honestly had no idea what the course would entail. The moment I learned that English tutoring would be our weekly commitment I started doubting my decision to take this class because I have tutored a few times back in my 10th grade, and I found it to be extremely frustrating. In addition to that, English is not my first language and I learned it only four years ago. One would right to presume that it adds a lot of pressure, especially when you need to teach or help someone with their writing.

I must admit that I had an interesting and very positive experience in the writers’ room at John D. O’Bryant. I was also really happy that I was able to pick a time slot that worked for me really well and did not disturb my weekly schedule.  I was also quite surprised to see how independent and hardworking high school students can be.          

I believe that sometimes it might be simpler for students to learn from tutors if those tutors are also students but a bit more knowledgable. It is easier for high school students to relate to tutors and both sides might feel less intimidated to talk to each other. I have been in their place and I remember how hard it was for me to talk with a random person and ask for help.

This tutoring experience was indeed fun and full of learning opportunities. As a volunteering tutor I have learned that tutoring at writers’ room is not only about English or writing in general, but about the communication between individuals and how collaborative work can help people achieve better results. I can recall an instance when a student told me about what he was working on and that he wanted to paraphrase his introduction paragraph and make his thesis statement much stronger. Initially, it was hard for both of us to understand what exactly to change and where to start. The solution appeared out of the blue because we just started discussing his topic. We went over his sources, argument and his own point of view. As a result, we collectively figured out what exactly had to be adjusted.

 After being a tutor for a few months I can say with certainty that 826 Boston is an amazing organization with a great goal of helping students to learn and develop as individuals in a safe and comfortable environment. I truly believe that if one would like to have a positive impact on the community, 826 Boston is a great place to start.