Sara, volunteer tutor and student at University of Nottingham

Here is what Sara says about her experience tutoring:

I have experience volunteering with organizations that work with children, but I wanted to engage more deeply in teaching because I believe education is fundamental. I am passionate about sharing knowledge and fostering a love of learning. Moreover, I find it incredibly rewarding to connect with a diverse range pupils and contribute to their academic growth.

My confidence has improved significantly, not only while tutoring the pupils but also through meetings with my placement manager and programme coordinators. My communication skills have greatly enhanced, particularly in effectively communicating with children, using intonations, and through providing constant praise. Additionally, my planning and organization skills have ameliorated as I try to balance university life as a final year student along with my volunteering commitments. 

I had a pupil who was initially reluctant to participate. I worked with the programme coordinator; together, we identified her interests and hobbies, which I incorporated into our warm-up sessions. This significantly improved her comfort level and eagerness to learn. She now actively participates and speaks up with confidence. Conversely, another pupil was very enthusiastic and would often shout out answers, hindering others from engaging. He has learned the importance of patience and waiting for his turn. He now reminds his peers to raise their hands and also encourages them to share their answers. 

I can see the positive changes in my pupils – some have gained confidence, others have developed patience, and some have become kinder to their peers. They have made significant progress academically, with fewer spelling and pronunciation errors compared to when they started. A few pupils totally disliked the subject however through the positive and engaging learning environment, they look forward to the sessions – we also play games related to the subject they are learning, which is a motivating factor for them!

Working with children at Action Tutoring has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Upon joining, tutors participate in a comprehensive induction process where we learn about our roles and expectations. We are provided with detailed session templates and answer guides, ensuring we have the resources needed to take the sessions. Additionally, Action Tutoring offers ‘Bright Ideas’—bite-sized online training modules covering various topics such as engaging pupils and fostering a growth mindset. There are also training webinars that teach us how to tutor, which are invaluable for gaining experience. You can start tutoring with Grade 5 or 6, where the material is more basic, allowing you to build confidence before moving on to tutor secondary pupils.

As a university student, I chose online tutoring to save travel time. My university was very supportive and adjusted my timetable to accommodate tutoring. It’s crucial to plan and select programmes that are manageable to ensure consistency for the pupils. The cover tutoring system is also beneficial in maintaining continuous support for students.