Essay On Tutoring Experience

I fell in love with teaching at the M. S. “I” Learning Center in La Mirada in 2010. Initially, I tutored students in both math and English language arts equally. It was not until after I switched to primarily tutoring English when I began to recognize the effect I was having on my students; yet it would take some time and reflection to realize the impact that they were having on me. In essence, my decision to pursue teaching as a career can be traced back to my sessions with two of my former pupils – Hitansi A. and Anthony K.

Hitansi A., a 4th grade student at the time, entered the program with poor grades in English and reading. Our sessions frequently began with her ravings about the latest book she was reading. She had such a positive

was a bright, gifted, straight-A 6th grade honor student when I knew him. Not only did he read above his grade level, but he also took advanced math classes. His mind – and his mouth – raced a mile a minute. He was intrinsically motivated and relished a challenge. Rarely did he struggle. It was, therefore, quite surprising to learn that he was having a hard time on a school writing assignment. His school was holding a persuasive speech contest, and he sought my insight because his teacher gave him a less than accustomed critique. During our sessions, he always wrote such imaginative and entertaining stories. Although he demonstrated such a creative flare for narrative writing, his persuasive writing was rather weak in comparison. It was then that I noticed that he wrote his speech as he would a narrative piece, presenting both sides of the argument equally. He did not voice a clear opinion; therefore, in terms of persuasion it was not effective. I introduced him to a basic format initially, and worked with him on his follow-up drafts and public speaking skills. Specifically, I instructed him that he needed to have a clear point of view in his thesis, to define his reasons more palpably, and to cite credible sources as his supporting statements. As a result, he was able to win both his class and school-wide competition, eventually making it to the regional stage. Although he did not make it to the state finals, I was still very proud of him and the progress that he

Drawn to its creative quality, enthralled by its eloquence, and inspired by both the sense of purpose and the myriad of effects that various forms of literature possess, my desire to be an English teacher stems from my love and appreciation of language. As we study the whimsical word play of Shakespeare and explore extended metaphors and symbolism of the Romantics, the power of the written word has been proven throughout history to transcend the limits of time. It is amazing to think that some works may have been written many centuries ago, but its message may still be relevant and enlightening to today’s modern world. The written word has the power to change how people think, to influence a nation’s way of acting. Furthermore, English language arts extends beyond mere reading comprehension and articulation; it serves as the breeding grounds of how to think for oneself. It introduces students to the fact, however cliché, that the world is not simply black and white; instead it is filled with shades of gray and open to interpretation. It introduces students to the importance of connotation, denotation, and diction, and that the manipulation of the aforementioned is the very crux of all verbal