Matching a tutor to your child goes deeper than just finding someone who is an expert in the given subject. Pairing expertise with positivity and encouragement can be a powerhouse in fueling an understanding in your student.
In this Student Success Story, we learn more about Samantha. She felt defeated in economics, but her economics tutor encouraged a change in the student’s mindset towards the subject and helped her learn to love it.
Changing The Student Mindset to Fuel Learning
Samantha* was a university student who joined my sessions with a mindset of helplessness. Her first line to me was, “Economics is not my cup of tea.”
She was skilled in accounting and finance, so I wondered why she was struggling so much with economics.
Upon starting Unit 4, I noticed that she was having trouble with the basics. I didn’t want to discourage her by taking her back to the first unit.
Instead, I encouraged her to read the news, and every time that we worked on a topic I asked her to relate it to that. I asked her to look for small things during her day-to-day life, like the components of taxes while she shopped. This helped her notice the everyday occurrences that play a key role in an economy.
After all, she was a bright, funny, and kind student—she just lacked confidence.
I made it my mission to change her defeatist mindset over the semester. I encouraged Samantha and praised her for her hard work and effort at every turn. I told her practice is the key to gaining expertise in economics. She started practicing two units a day, and she was excited to show me her work every time.
Although her semester ended, I wasn’t sure if I was fully successful in helping her love Economics. But a few days later, she sent me a voice note saying that ‘I’m so happy because I was able to understand the budget. I love Economics. It makes me feel confident and aware.’
It was at that moment, that I felt accomplished and successful in tutoring Samantha.
*The student’s name has been changed.
Finding the Right Mix of Educational and Emotional Knowledge
Samatha’s story is inspiring for both tutors and families who have struggling students. A small change in the student’s mindset can fuel their understanding and success in a subject. Sometimes, all they need is that extra push and encouragement to feel confident in their abilities.
At Tutor Doctor, we have a thorough tutor matching process that matches the right tutor to your student. This allows us to change the trajectory of students’ lives by customizing our tutoring to suit your child’s individual needs. A change in your student’s mindset may be all that they need to thrive.
To allow your student to learn and thrive in a difficult subject, please book a consultation today! Or, if you’re a tutor looking to have a positive impact on the lives of students, please apply on our become a tutor page!
