I think I've found the job I really want: tutoring at the local college.
Actually, it's not so much tutoring as handholding, from what I gather. I got a call back yesterday from a very sweet gal named Jenny after I'd inquired about whether they needed someone in their writing lab. As it turns out, they're looking to fill a position in the Communication Skills Center. "We are trying to help students become independent learners," she said. "A lot of students just need help learning how to study. How to pull the main ideas out of their reading. How to organize their notes, make self-study guides, prioritize assignments, that kind of thing."
"That's pretty much what I've been helping my own kids do for 15 years. " Maybe I should've bragged on them (they are my resume', after all), telling how well they manage their time between school, work, church, home duties, and social lives. How, once they hit ninth grade, I sat down on Sunday nights with them and said, "Here's what's due Friday, here are our outside commitments, and if you want to go to so-and-so's on Saturday, these must be done. It's up to you to fill in the blanks." Some chose to plod, others to double-up so Friday was free and clear except for gym. Taught them how to manage to their time so I wouldn't be holding their hands in college. (Academically, anyway!) Sometimes I fell into nagging, but that was rare (I think??).
I told Paul after the call that the pay is good and the hours are flexible. I can work around all the kids' schedules, not miss Ladies' Bible study or care group, can work Saturday if I want, days or evenings. It's really quite attractive.
Philosophically it bothers me that public high schools seem to emphasize team work and group projects to the exclusion of independent study. Not to mention that their students are constantly reminded when things are due. (Same goes for private schools.) My nephews on Baltimore City schools were not allowed to bring home books; if the books got lost, who'd pay for new ones? So here's the rub: after this group-minded subculture called high school, kids walk into their freshman year of college and suddenly they're expected to know how to study on their own, turn assignments in six weeks later without reminders, and juggle work and play with school. It's culture shock.
Help acclimate someone to a new culture of sorts? I can do that. I'm a global girl! I will applaud them for coming in for help, will pray (silently of course) for their success, and do what I can to help them learn not just new information, but how to dissect it, distill it, and dole it out in tests and papers. Sounds good to me. Please pray it works out.
4 comments:
This sounds great for you; I hope it works out!!
I noticed the same thing when I was a freshman at Belmont U. in Nashville. Thanks to being homeschooled and having really taken charge of my own schedule, I knew how to manage time. This is so important for college. The time is flexible and you have to figure out how to use your hours most productively. A lot of freshman had problems managing that. No matter how smart you are, how you manage your time will have a lot with if you excel in college.
sounds good to me too!
I hope it doeas work out. College students DO NOT know how to manage time well, it was something I had to teach myself. :)
Oh this does sound great. Keep us posted.
I know when I was in college I got my best grades when I worked full time and had a full load. I got my lower grades when I hardly worked and took a regular load. I am one of those people that needs to keep moving. If I have too much time I procrastinate and that was my problem.
Me, too, Bethany. I'm the exact same way (as long as the work is meaningful).
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