"Yeeees!" I hear many of you agree with the title. And this article is exactly for you, guys, to show you maybe a little bit different perspective. And to tell you something about broccoli... =)
I was never on the other side - I've never had a tutor. When I was studying at the university, I went few times to consult the topics I've missed thanks to my other study-related commitments with my teacher. That's all in terms of any additional help in my learning.
Well, lucky me, right? But how about those, who do need some little extra helper (aka tutor)? If you need it, get over it and be happy, thankful and appreciate your tutor, please. It's never an easy job to try to engage someone, who isn't interested at all. Us, tutors, are not here to torture you, we want to help you. Yes, we do this to earn money, too, but by doing the job we like. Well, at least in my case that's absolutely true - I wouldn't be tutoring for over ten years if I wouldn't like it =) I could do many other jobs. Secured jobs, without crazy working pattern (evenings+weekends), having paid holidays... but NO - I want to be a tutor, I want to show you maths's not so bad as you think and I want to push you to your limits and let you achieve best. But I can't do it without your help.
Yes, that's right. The success (whatever that means for you - either pass the exams, getting better grades, stop struggling generally with maths,...) of any tuition is not entirely up to the tutor. Student's approach is the key factor. I know, sometimes you and your tutor won't get used to each other. I have students who like me very much as a tutor and I meet time to time those, who just can't find the connection. That's ok, that's normal. And of course, change the tutor, if that's the case.
But if there's no specific problem, if it's just you "hating" maths, then it's time to think about changing your attitude.
I know, sounds annoying. But without wanting to learn, having a tutor to come to teach you like that - it's like buying an apple, having one bite (if even!) and throwing it away. Sounds ridiculous, right? =)
EAT THE WHOLE APPLE, come on! =)
Maybe a bit better would be to compare it to broccoli (ok, I like broccoli, but as I said earlier, I'm the one who's a bit unusual, so I guess most of you won't like it).
You know it's healthy, you know you need it, you know you should eat it - so when having broccoli - EAT THE WHOLE BROCCOLI! =)
Let your tutor give you what they can offer to you. It's not vitamins and minerals, it's knowledge you need and should possess.
It's not torturing. It may look like, but as well as you can have tasty dish containing broccoli, you can have good and even funny maths lessons. Just be open minded and give your tutor a chance to show you they didn't come to torture you.
And one more useful secret I learnt through all those years: if you want to learn, it goes usually better then. So you spend, at the end, less time by learning, revising and everything, because it will go better into your head. Hooray! Good news =)