Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Tutee Turned Tutor

November Community Service Hours: 7.25
Fall Semester Community Service Hours: 25.75

“Okay, so this is what you do.”
Amused, I watched my student as she assumed an authoritative air, taking on the role of a teacher. I had asked her to explain acids and bases to another student and the transformation was immediate. Encouraged by my occasional nods of agreement, her confidence soared in her knowledge, which has been my goal all along. 
Jordan has been the one constant student since my first day at SciHigh so I feel personally invested in her academic performance. She has blossomed from a largely uninterested pupil to now an eager teacher. I love seeing her excitement, especially when she discovered the other student asked the same questions Jordan herself had asked me moments earlier. Our friendship has grown to the point where she is comfortable asking so-called dumb questions, which I reassured her were actually fundamental to the building blocks of chemistry and stressed the importance of laying a solid foundation in all areas for her future studies.
As a pre-medical student, I have always viewed tutoring as a side activity, failing to acknowledge the similarities to medicine. However, I am fast discovering how fulfilling it is to forge a longitudinal relationship with Jordan. It is rewarding to monitor her progress and celebrate achievements together, much like the satisfaction I derived as a scribe, when I followed patients throughout their hospital stays and beyond. This is what I will be searching for as I pursue a career in medicine; to be a friend, counselor and confidante to my patients and their families. I cannot think of a greater source of contentment than to continue being a role model by showing others this is what I do. 

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