What made you decide to become a tutor?
I became a tutor because I have a passion for education and passing on knowledge. Knowledge is an empowering asset to a person’s wellbeing and gives one a sense of confidence in subject matter. For myself, the ability to give someone the means to be empowered is extremely satisfying. I love to see people develop and see them reach their potential. Becoming a tutor allows me to do exactly this!
What were your favourite subjects at high school and why?
At high school, I loved Calculus and Statistics. These subjects made sense to me and the knowing that the answer is either right or wrong (not subjective), gave me confidence to achieve my best. I am interested in numbers and thus sparked my passion for these subjects.
What subjects do you tutor now?
I tutor Calculus, Statistics, Physics and Chemistry from Levels 1 to 3, and non-NCEA (Year 10 and below).
What are you studying? What’s the most enjoyable part of your degree?
I am studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) at the University of Canterbury, and I enjoy the Computer Science aspect at the moment. I had never studied CompSci before University and I have come to like it very much as it incorporates Maths with logic, two things that come naturally to me, hence why I enjoy it very much.
What do you plan to do after you have completed your degree?
After I complete my degree I plan to go into the workplace, after having travelled a fair amount, working for potentially an Engineering firm or a large Business, currently I am unsure as to what I should do!
What aspect of tutoring do you most enjoy?
The aspect of tutoring which I enjoy the most is the sense of confidence you can inspire in an individual when they can come to gain knowledge on a subject. To see that confidence in a person is something which makes me smile because you know that you’ve given someone a life tool which could help them achieve their dreams.
What has been your favourite tutoring moment so far?
So far, my favourite moment was when a student of mine finally grasped a concept which I had been trying to teach him for weeks. I tried every different technique in the book, I drew diagrams, I used contextual diagrams and I even brought in props! And that moment when he clicked just felt amazing; to see his face light up was heart-warming and is a feeling I look to create inside all of my students.
What does Inspiration Education’s vision mean to you?
For myself, Inspiration Education’s vision is a means to give a sense of purpose to tutoring, as many people, especially students, find it hard to find reasons as to why tutoring is a worthwhile use of time. This vision incorporates the ideas of being a conscientius tutor who cares for the student by getting to know the student and finding what works for them, by evaluating the student based on IE’s Holistic Model of Learning. This creates a way of learning that does more than just teaching, but introducing life skills to the student, such as how to study and how to be organised, which are such valuable assets. For me, the ability to put the power in the hands of the students and empowering students to learn in order to shape their futures is one of the best values to live by.
What one piece of advice would you give to students studying NCEA?
Work hard all year round. NCEA is a great system which allows you to gain half to three quarters (maybe even all!) during the year through the internal system, and if you have an organised studying habits you will be able to flourish with your grades. Don’t just leave it up till the exams to start studying, because you will be under a large amount of stress and pressure which wouldn’t have been there if you’d worked hard during the year.
What one piece of advice would you give parents looking to get a tutor?
I would say that, for parents, find a tutor who is friendly, knowledgeable but most importantly, cares about your child. Having a tutor who will go above and beyond the call of duty is an invaluable asset to have for your child’s education and will give your child the best shot at their education they can possibly have, simultaneously giving the student a sense of satisfaction as they know that they have done their upmost to achieve to their potential.
About Andy French
Andrew is studying Intermediate Engineering at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. Andrew was a previous student at Sacred Heart College in Auckland, and excelled and was passionate in subjects including Calculus, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry and Maths in General. Andrew finds so much satisfaction from learning these subjects because they are so relevant to the changing world around us, and he believes that he is one of the “students of the future”.
Through tutoring, Andrew looks to create relationships which will last for years to come, and create progress and allow a student to leave a lesson thinking that they really have gained something from this experience, from an academic perspective and as a life experience. Andrew has many goals in life including completing his degree, exploring the world and creating his own business, and is determined in all that he does, loves to work in human relations and likes to achieve success, no matter how big or small.