Adventures in Tutoring Daily Challenge – Day 2

For me, reading tutoring has been such a delightful experience. I came into this service space already possessing a love for reading, a love for education, a love for learning, a love for children, and a love for helping children in their learning processes. Nothing had to be manufactured or inspired. It was already there.

So, there is something pretty powerful in functioning in one’s “meant to be.” I didn’t know working with children would be my thing some years ago, but now I know. I’ve finally found my “zone of fruitfulness”  — albeit in a roundabout way. But, I found it, nonetheless.

When you find your zone of fruitfulness, everything is more enjoyable — the people, the process, the outcomes. Everything! Those of you who know, KNOW. And those of you who don’t, I’d like for you to find the “zone” – the area or thing you enjoy (even if you don’t get paid to do it), are good at, and that you have some experience in (whether formally or informally) that others know you for and come to you for. If the zone carries all three of these components, you’ll thrive there. I guarantee it.

For instance, my “zone” is working online and one-on-one (or in manageable groups) with the kiddos in developing their positive mindsets and helping them to take on literacy skills that are critical to their personal day-to-day as well as their formal educations. So, I see things a little rose-colored when it comes to what I do as a reading tutor. 

I enjoy being around young minds who appreciate absorbing knowledge, and learning, and developing, and growing. They infuse me with such hopeful energy and continuously make me want to be a better educator. Furthermore, they don’t think they know everything about everything. The children I’ve been blessed to work with are teachable and are willing to participate in their instruction.

I understand that all educators may not have the “glass is half full” experience. All educational settings and situations are not created equal. I get that. I can only share my personal experience with tutoring, because that’s all I have. I realize that everyone has their own unique experience with working with children in educational capacities. So, if someone else’s is different, that makes perfect sense. It’s that person’s experience and is just as real as mine. I’m simply aiming to give you my perspective, regarding my adventures in tutoring.

I also realize that online tutoring is even different than in-person tutoring and is even more different than teaching at a brick-and-mortar. So, I’m really just coming from the narrower focus of an online tutor, in particular. And, the online setting is where I feel most comfortable and productive. Now, I don’t know from actual experience how I’d function in the other settings — maybe just fine. Maybe I’d be just as productive. But, I don’t think I’d feel as comfortable, for sure.

And, I’m going for comfort these days. Why not?! If you have the option to function in a comfortable capacity over an uncomfortable one, wouldn’t comfort be your go-to, as well? I just chalk it up to this — I’m in my 50s now, and I’m not willing to give up (if I have a choice) the flexibility I have in working from the comfort of my home. I’m truly thankful for it.

Now, getting back to my zone . . .

Something I’ve learned about working with children: if you craft their learning experience in an engaging and personal way, it makes them look forward to the instruction they’ll receive. Even if they’re children who find the task of reading challenging (or some other skill challenging), we, as educators, can uniquely design learning experiences children actually look forward to participating in.

And, children have a heightened awareness about themselves when it comes to what they struggle with. Because, they feel it. They are actively going through the struggling motions within and without. They know when they aren’t quite where they need to be.

But when you craft a learning experience children feel comfortable interacting with because they’re working with YOU, and they know that you are going to be one of their best cheerleaders in this journey of development and improving in reading (or whatever skill you’re teaching), that’s when the good stuff happens.

In these types of experiences, the children know they can trust you — let their guard down with you — because they know you care for them and value them as individuals. They know you’re trying to create an experience where they can get what they fully need out of it and thrive.

They know that you’re putting your all into it and that what you’re doing to help them means everything to you. And when it means everything to you, then it’s going to mean everything to them.

So, working with the children I’ve been blessed to work with looks a lot like what I just described above. And yes, there are challenges, of course. Challenges are to be expected. But, they are meant to be learned from and worked through, because the children still need to get what the children need to get. And, when the lightbulb comes on for a child (that a-ha moment), there’s nothing like it in all the world.

ZONES OF FRUITFULNESS PROVIDE THE MOST PRODUCE. LET’S ALL FIND OURS AND WORK IN IT!

Thanks for being here for day 2.