Teaching learners. Growing citizens.
I tutor high school learners. I have for over a decade.
I’ve taught mostly Mathematics and I’ve learned a few things.
I am proud to say that only one child tutored by me failed her final exams and was unable to progress: she was heavily pregnant and gave birth during the exam period, so the school would not let her write in that condition.
As a side note: she is not my only pregnant learner.
I’ve taught learners who needed a little polish in their technique; I’ve taught some who struggle with a particular topic or method; I’ve handled some with learning difficulties like ADHD or cognitive impairments.
When you take the time to relate the subject matter in a language or manner that the learner can understand, it usually (read always) results in some improvement.
Teaching
This is not always possible with teaching, because that is not the primary job of a teacher. Viewed cynically, a teacher is employed to meet their school-mandated KPIs: finish the curriculum in the available class time and make sure you avoid a worrying failure rate.
A teacher can fail to adequately prepare one particular learner and still be considered a great teacher.
Tutoring
The same is not true for tutors. We are hired to ensure a specific learner can improve their comprehension toward mastery of the subject matter. The class time is dictated purely by a learner’s need.
Some learners need only a refresher. They join me for a quick overview of past examination papers just to spot trick questions and analyse where they could avoid making silly mistakes.
Other learners require an all-nighter to study together right before the exam to ensure they don’t forget fundamentals that could be the difference between passing and failing.
In some cases, we aren’t even aiming for an outright pass. There are certain accommodations made for the balance of grades in South Africa that allow for a learner to pass even if one or two subjects fall below what we might consider a pass.
In the end, tutoring is about making sure a learner has the necessary tools to improve enough to be in a better position next year.
Extra-curricular matters
In one case, a learner had to be enrolled in a drug addiction rehabilitation program. He has been smoking for a decade, and he has yet to finish school. He started young through bad familial influence.
Regardless, since he started the program six months ago, his marks have improved drastically and his teachers now give him glowing reviews.
To get his grades up, we only needed to address a contributing factor to his poor performance.
Learner-focused programs
I’ve tutored a few hundred learners in my time. Most of them were part of some group- and class-based initiative. However, I do have personal one-on-one clients as well.
We need some way to promote more tutor-based programs: be it mentorship opportunities, government- and private-funded initiatives, or just plainly hiring enough teachers that learners get sufficient individualised care.
It is good to have a structured learning schedule where instruction is given by a veteran in the field. The classroom is crucial to give learners a base of learning.
But for many, (especially those who are underprivileged, struggling with learning difficulties, or battling extenuating circumstances), a personal touch is needed when addressing their academic performance.
If we are to have a capable citizenry, we must invest in their education and growth now.
What can you do?
One way you could help is to contribute to organisations already involved in this work (especially in the early child development phase, aka ECD).
Another way to assist is to be present and available to help learners with homework and assignments. This can be challenging when the difficulty of their coursework goes above your head.
If these options fail you, try to eliminate distracting influences that make it difficult for a learner to spend time and energy on their academics.
These distractions (which can sometimes be vital functions or inevitable phenomena of the home) take time away from the learner’s ability to do deep work. Try to strike a balance.
A child should do chores. A learner needs time to study. Both are important.
None of these solutions is a silver bullet, and neither of them is particularly easy to do in a sustainable way for large swaths of the population.
Our country’s basic education system is suffering under the weight of the task at hand. Worsening economic conditions do us no favours.
It’s time we stopped just trying to get the child through the curriculum. Instead, we need to help the child learn, grow, and succeed.
Avoiding these problems now will only exacerbate our country’s ability to face work-related challenges in future.
Disclaimer; and help for the weary
This post is not sponsored, however, the following resources may be of help to South African high school learners and those who would like to help them become educated:
Siyavula
Siyavula is an organisation of “passionate scientists enabling and creating innovative, technology-powered learning experiences.” They have free textbook resources for learners and teachers for Natural and Physical Sciences, Mathematics, IT, Computer Applications Technology, and Mathematics Literacy and Life Sciences (Grade 10). The content on their website is zero-rated for MTN, Vodacom and Telkom network users in South Africa. All digital books (except IT and CAT) are open-licensed, meaning they can be used pretty much how you want.
MS Maths Solver
Microsoft has released an online calculation tool that gives step-by-step solutions to problems you would input. It can solve quadratic equations, trigonometry, matrices, calculus and more.
It should not be used as a replacement for learning and practice. However, parents can make use of this tool to see the mathematical steps required for their children to arrive at the right answer. Use it to help guide your learner to the right answers using the right steps.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a non-profit that has been around for ages, teaching Math, Science, Computing, Economics, and the Humanities for years. Their videos are very helpful in explaining concepts and giving practical cases to solve. They aim to “provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.”
As an American-based institution, please take note of divergences between their curriculum and that of South African learners.
Noteworthy Mentions
If you have a few bucks to spend on your child’s education, try paying for a Mindset or IXL subscription. They have a wide array of resources right behind their modest paywalls, and the resources are particular to the South African curriculum.
Mlungisi Nkosi is an excellent teacher of Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry on his YouTube channel.
A Brighter Future (ikamvelihle)
I work with a non-profit based in the Eastern Cape village of Cala, that does wonderful work to address the education needs of the communities of the Chris Hani District.
The iKamvelihle Development Trust (iKDT) is in need of your support. Delivering quality academic-focused interventions to all children since 2015, we hope to expand operations. Have a look at our website for more information on how to lend a hand.
