Why I Volunteer - Lotties Story

Why I Volunteer - Lottie's Story Lottie volunteers through the Tutorfair “Tuition for all” programme, where tutors help students who are struggling at school and cannot afford private tuition. Lottie has been teaching maths, or more specifically, Trigonometry and Quadratics to a small group of year 11 students. Lottie explains why she chose to become a volunteer, and how it has helped her progress professionally within teaching. I decided to join Tutorfair after I heard about the great opportunity through TeachFirst. I am a History graduate that has recently been accepted onto the 2015 TeachFirst graduate scheme. However, I was offered the place on the condition that I taught Mathematics from my Maths A-level. This was a very daunting prospect because I had not picked up a Maths book in five years! Therefore, I needed to gain some experience before stepping into the classroom. This was my most dominant reason for signing up to Tutorfair; it would provide an excellent opportunity to reconnect with Maths in a less pressurized environment. Moreover, Tutorfair shares a similar ethos and vision to TeachFirst and therefore it would give me a chance to work with students in a poor socio-economic background. I have found the experience most enlightening and useful. Firstly, the training day provided by Tutorfair gave an excellent overview of creating personal relationships with students and planning successful lessons. This not only helped me when planning my tutor sessions but has made me think more widely about planning lessons for larger classes. Secondly, the experience has given me a unique insight into the teaching world in general. It has tested my strength as a tutor and also as a teacher in training. I have been able to witness my strengths and weaknesses when dealing with students. This has been vital when preparing for the TeachFirst Summer Institute. I have been very grateful for this opportunity and would recommend it to anyone that wants to gain vital experience in the teaching or tutoring profession. Written by Lottie C - Tutorfair Volunteer