<p>So, I applied to be a tutor for physics, and had to meet the dept. head of physics.</p>
<p>I am a freshman.</p>
<p>I have AP and IB credits and have thus got credits for physics.</p>
<p>So, today, with the dept.head, he emphasized how I've not taken any phys. class by the university and how it might be difficult and bad...especially because I'm being paid.</p>
<p>So, he gave me permission to tutor the most basic physics class. I'm pretty sure I've got it covered physics-wise, but the dept. head did make a very compelling point: am I good enough to turn that knowledge with relevance to the class? </p>
<p>So firstly, generally, what kind of students wish to be tutored? The extremely smart ones?</p>
<p>Secondly, will I be expected to do homework, etc of the students?</p>
<p>Lastly, would you be worried if you had the physics knowledge but not with relevance to the university class?</p>
<p>In my experience, there are two types of students that go to tutoring: the kids that are struggling and need you to work through problems, and the kids that understand the material and use tutoring as a safety net (i.e. low self confidence in their abilities in that subject). Usually the very confident kids do not come to tutoring.</p>
<p>You should not work student’s homework for them, but you will get a lot of questions about the homework, so you should get a copy, solve it yourself, and understand the types of problems being asked. When students come and ask “How do I do Problem #4?”, you can direct them to a similar (but not assigned) problem and walk them through that.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t tutor a class I haven’t taken. I’ve had to do that before, and it’s not a good situation for the tutor. There’s a chance the professor covered the material a different way than how you learned it, there could be issues with the professor covering material that you do not know, and it’s hard to relate to students when they ask class-based questions and not Physics-based questions. It’s not impossible, but it’s not something I’d willingly do.</p>
<p>I second what BanjoHitter.
Sometime you might even mislead the students that come to tutoring - that’s horrible.
You can volunteer to help - I don’t see the problem.
If it’s a paid position - the department usually offers it to the graduate students.</p>
<p>But here’s my argument:- If you have attended the class, I know it’s an advantage, but no one really remembers that after say a couple of years. Suppose I did take a phys class today. Couple years later I wish to tutor it. </p>
<p>The professor might have changed.
I’d have 2 years of humongous work separating myself from the class…will my memory really provide me with fresh knowledge to help cover the student?</p>
<p>Would I really have as much of an advantage?</p>
<p>Perhaps volunteer to attend a couple of the classes to make sure that you are on point with the text and the class problems. Then try it. Ask the student you are tutoring for feedback. Make sure it is working for both of you.</p>
<p>I worked as a tutor for a college for a year. Our policy was you had to get an A in the class to tutor it…but you can tutor some classes below your level. For example, I only took calculus based physics, but I tutored general as well. What is the reason you want to tutor more advanced physics so badly? As the only engineer in the tutoring department, I got loaded with so many classes that no one or few others could tutor. </p>
<p>Don’t do their school work for them. Help them with whatever concept they are having trouble with so they will be able to solve the problems themselves. You want them to build up their own skills. If you do too much for them, they will become reliant on you and they will be there every week. This is the one job you don’t want the customer to come back.</p>
<p>Only two types of students need tutoring: unprepared students and lazy students. Focus on the unprepared students, since one of the reasons they might be unprepared for college work is the horrible teaching they were subjected to during their secondary education years. Do not waste your time with lazy students and simply go through the motions with them just to CYA.</p>
<p>I go to tutoring on a daily basis for help because sometimes asking my TA and Professor isn’t enough. I am not lazy or unprepared because I start before most people begin their work. I am just trying to understand the material - how does that make me any less of a student then anyone else. I pay for resources and tutoring is a huge and largely underutilized resource because of the very comments you are posting.</p>
<p>I do what I have to do to understand the material and find who I have to find who can help me when I can’t understand the material. Granted I always start the work on my own and if my work doesn’t make any sense to me, I make sure to ask questions. </p>
<p>Right now, I am going for my Electric Circuit Theory class, which I feel is a pain with a dry professor and terrible TA who can’t speak English. It has helped and I have made friends with a lot of upperclassmen in Engineering, who have really opened my mind to a lot of things.</p>
<p>Hmm…so I got the signatures from the dept. heads.</p>
<p>I need to do an interview with the student’s union, which is the final step to be a tutor. What should I wear? Any tips? How do I convince them to let a freshman be a tutor? As in, that I can teach relevant to the uni classes?</p>
<p>My opinion is that the best students are those that can learn on their own and require the least amoubt of help.</p>
<p>I feel that since I am capable of learninv on my own, it would be unfair to seek tutoring when there are other students who might benefit more from that tutor.</p>
<p>^^ That’s sort of the reason I said this is the job where you don’t want the customer to come back. We are always booked and have to turn down people who want last minute appointments. If we can help a student help themselves so they don’t need tutoring anymore, that gives more time to help those who do really need the help. It’s a whole different story if it’s private tutoring though!</p>
<p>Aside from proving you know the material well, let them know you have the qualities of a tutor. Someone who is patient and has good communication skills.</p>