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๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐-๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ (๐ฎ๐น๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐) ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐. 
I know because I've been one for a decade.
TL;DR: It's a no-win battle against shame.
Here's why
I know because I've been one for a decade.
TL;DR: It's a no-win battle against shame.
Here's why
1/ Subject-level tutoring means that I sit with a student and help them with one subject specifically, one topic at a time.
This subject is usually math, but I also tutor science (physics, chemistry, biology) and help with essay writing and SAT/AP test prep + homework.
This subject is usually math, but I also tutor science (physics, chemistry, biology) and help with essay writing and SAT/AP test prep + homework.
2/ Almost none of the students I have helped in the last decade have approached me seeking subject mastery.
They're almost always falling behind or failing a subject (and have been for some time!) and either they or their parents are seeking help to 'get caught up.'
They're almost always falling behind or failing a subject (and have been for some time!) and either they or their parents are seeking help to 'get caught up.'
3/ And it isn't that this approach is necessarily wrong.
Sometimes life happens and you fall behind.
Sometimes a topic vexes you for no apparent reason.
Sometimes you're stuck with a poor instructor and need guidance to find your footing.
Sometimes life happens and you fall behind.
Sometimes a topic vexes you for no apparent reason.
Sometimes you're stuck with a poor instructor and need guidance to find your footing.
4/ But these situations are exceptional.
Most students are failing because ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ'๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ - ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฉ.
Most students are failing because ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ'๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ - ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ฃ'๐ฉ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฉ.
5/ This can be difficult to accept.
No one wants to feel "dumb" and, unfortunately, we have been conditioned to respond to ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ด as personal shortcomings.
These perceived shortcomings result in feeling shame.
And shame is a powerfully destructive feeling.
No one wants to feel "dumb" and, unfortunately, we have been conditioned to respond to ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ด as personal shortcomings.
These perceived shortcomings result in feeling shame.
And shame is a powerfully destructive feeling.
6/ Shame is the enemy of learning.
Shame alienates you from yourself and from others.
But here's the thing: ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ.
And therefore so is shame.
Shame alienates you from yourself and from others.
But here's the thing: ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ.
And therefore so is shame.
7/ How?
Students are not taught to be autonomous agents in their own educational experiences.
They sit, receive information, fill out worksheets, and are assigned homework (where most of their learning actually takes place).
Students are not taught to be autonomous agents in their own educational experiences.
They sit, receive information, fill out worksheets, and are assigned homework (where most of their learning actually takes place).
8/ There is no point in the process where they're taught how to learn without the "teaching" apparatus.
They are dependent on the school to give them permission to "learn" but then aren't given the skills and tools they need to take responsibility for it themselves.
They are dependent on the school to give them permission to "learn" but then aren't given the skills and tools they need to take responsibility for it themselves.
9/ When a student fails to understand something, the onus is placed on them.
The student is the ones taking the tests and being graded.
It's their homework that isn't being completed.
They're the ones not learning.
But they were never taught how to in the first place.
The student is the ones taking the tests and being graded.
It's their homework that isn't being completed.
They're the ones not learning.
But they were never taught how to in the first place.
10/ So, this perceived shortcoming morphs into shame and the learning decay sets in.
Their grades slip more and more.
They complete less of their homework or stop doing it at all.
All the while shame eats them up inside.
- This is usually where I come in. -
Their grades slip more and more.
They complete less of their homework or stop doing it at all.
All the while shame eats them up inside.
- This is usually where I come in. -
11/ I'm hired to intercede in whatever subject they're failing at the most.
But they've often been in this mode of failure for so long they've missed keystone ideas in the subject and now it's a monumental task to a. reteach and review the missing concepts and b. stay caught up
But they've often been in this mode of failure for so long they've missed keystone ideas in the subject and now it's a monumental task to a. reteach and review the missing concepts and b. stay caught up
12/ But the goal that is set for me is to "bring up test grades" or "complete their homework" NOT address the reason why the student isn't able to do this themselves.
I'm expected to fill in some conceptual potholes so their broken car is road ready... even if it isn't.
I'm expected to fill in some conceptual potholes so their broken car is road ready... even if it isn't.
13/ So I'm given enough time to help them understand how to graph y = mx + b but not:
- how to read and understand a math textbook
- how to study math
- how to know when you really don't understand something
- what to do when you don't
- Etc.
- how to read and understand a math textbook
- how to study math
- how to know when you really don't understand something
- what to do when you don't
- Etc.
14/ It needs to be about so much more than filling potholes.
Addressing these issues in a responsible way that equips students with the systems and skills they need to overcome engineered shame requires an enormous amount of time and energy.
But there is no other way.
Addressing these issues in a responsible way that equips students with the systems and skills they need to overcome engineered shame requires an enormous amount of time and energy.
But there is no other way.
15/ That's why I'm shifting into an academic coaching role.
I believe helping students build better vehicles for learning and teaching them how to operate and maintain those vehicles themselves is how we escape the learned helplessness so rampant in modern education.
I believe helping students build better vehicles for learning and teaching them how to operate and maintain those vehicles themselves is how we escape the learned helplessness so rampant in modern education.
