Student tutors teach responsibility beyond the classroom
Four days a week, a multitude of Newbury Park High School [NPHS] student tutors donate their time and knowledge to offer help to their peers in every subject. From science to languages, these students provide support through the tutoring centers around campus. During lunch every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the math tutoring center is open in D22, as well as world languages in B29, writing in B12 and science in C4. After school, during seventh period, all subjects meet in D31.
Glen Dsouza, senior, was inspired by his former NPHS math teacher, Lisa Adams, to channel his interest in math and willingness to help others as a math tutor. Dsouza appreciated how he felt Adams would motivate him to try new thinking strategies when solving math problems. “[Being a tutor] helped me teach communication and how to break down things to bite-sized pieces for people who don’t understand the topics very well,” Dsouza said.
Over the four years spent at NPHS, Keelan Nygren, senior, has grown to love the language of French, which she now tutors. Nygren has taken every French course offered on campus, from French 1 to IB French, which she is now enrolled in. “Being a tutor has taught me that sometimes I have to take things slow when I’m helping a student. It has shaped me to be more patient and more open minded to how I can not only work with myself but also with others,” Nygren said. “Being a tutor has made me more responsible by remembering to show up to the tutoring center and helping as much as I can.”
While the tutors spend their time providing knowledge to others, they also come out of the tutoring experience with lessons learned. During her three years spent as an English tutor, Annette Rhee, senior, has obtained skills beyond the bounds of the subject. “If you have a strong subject you like teaching or if you like working with people, [tutoring] is a useful experience,” Rhee said. English is Rhee’s second language, her first being Korean. She began to learn English in kindergarten and with the help of her family.
At times Dsouza has struggled with math, but his resilience has allowed his overall ability in the subject to improve, which he hopes is the same for those he tutors. “[Tutoring] is a free service and you don’t have to pay anything. The tutors know exactly the content that needs to be covered in the classes, so they know exactly what to expect and prepare you the best for the class,” Dsouza said.
