As I continue to develop my tutoring practice, I've realized that tutoring is not at all what I imagined. Prior to tutoring, I believed that the tutor is meant to have all the answers, and most often, I do not. The process of tutoring is a collaborative process. Although I've only been tutoring for about a month now, I've realized that this practice is an exercise in building empathy and connection with people, through helping students reach their objective of writing an essay, application, resume, etc. It requires vulnerability both on the part of the tutor as well as the student to acknowledge that we are mutually learning from each other.
When a student comes in with something they're working on, they trust me with my input into their work and it's something I truly value. It's not easy to share your passions, interests and intellect with another person. I try and create a safe space for the sharing and cultivation of those ideas.