My mom has long been a tutor for students with special needs, causing me to see the value education of past just achieving grades and securing a job. All students deserve a place to learn, free of judgement or pressure and I love being that outlet for students!
When I was an instructor at Mathnasium, there was a student who was working on single digit multiplication, but was showing much apprehension towards his pages. I had worked with this student a few times prior, and it always involved some strife, but this was different. After some time, the team and I realized that he may just not be comprehending his times tables mentality, so we decided to print him out a copy of the 12x12 times table. He completed upwards of 10 pages in the next session without a moan or groan (the goal is 5) and we were able to eventually decrease his reliance on the times table for multiplication!
I pride myself on patience, as we all have things that we are working on, as well as interactiveness. No learning comes from just spitting out answers, so I ensure that students truly understand why we reached a solution.
A positive learning environment to me is where a student can leave a session feeling more satisfied with their education than when they entered. The student should feel confident in what they know, and also secure in what they do not know yet, as that is why we are here!
To me, being a mentor is more than just being an Academic Coach (though that is the primary purpose, don't worry). I aim to also be a resource for students to fall back on, about extracurriculars, hobbies, or anything else. I think it is always nice to have someone a little older in your corner, and I'm happy to help!