Who can be a tutor?

It’s not hard to make the decision to tutor another person. It is usually born of the interest in helping someone else, either to learn new material or reinforce a subject that is already understood. So, when asking “who can be a tutor?” the answer is always: Anyone with experience!

If a mother is helping her children to perform better in school, she is in effect tutoring them. If a teacher stays after classes are over to go over the material again for a few students, who are struggling with a difficult concept, that teacher is wearing the hat of a tutor. Tutors come in all shapes and sizes.

Some are working on a volunteer basis, while others are privately paid. But they all have one aspect in common, and that is they are usually very committed to the success of their students learning the material they need to know to perform at their best in the school setting, or outside of school in the setting of “life.” So, whether they are paid or not, is inconsequential. It is the determination of the student and the person doing the tutoring that will measure the success of the effort.

Although tutors can be formally trained, a lack of formal training need not prevent a person from tutoring others. Remember, the point is whether the tutor has experience in an area, and is able to explain to others how to do what he or she knows how to do. For example, if a dad has time on the weekend to show the neighborhood teens how to change oil in a car, and uses his truck as the learning tool, he is acting as a tutor. Similarly, an uncle who owns a restaurant, or an aunt who owns a boutique – allowing teens and their friends to come down and “learn the business” over the summer, are acting as tutors. I would offer that even without a formal degree, a person could still be an effective tutor.

So, if you have a feeling that you can make a difference in someone else’s life by tutoring, go on and give it a try. You might be the best option for that person to get the information that he or she needs. There is nothing wrong with sharing your experiences with others, and tutoring spreads the good will of many experiences to others by offering the advantage of hands on lessons, face-to-face time and the patient words from someone who is willing to teach you what you need to know. I’d say that is progress – any way you look at it.

If you need to find a tutor for your child, compare solutions and decide which is best for your family.