Project 10 000 – Making a Difference

My Experience Working as a BrightSparkz Project 10 000 Tutor

I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of the BrightSparkz team, and Project 10 000 in particular. One of the things that I have learnt as a tutor is that professionalism is key. This includes everything from how I communicate with the clients to how I deliver the lesson plan and conduct myself. 

With every lesson that I have taught came learning for me too, and the most exciting part of tutoring is that what you have taught stays in your mind forever. It is important for me to not only be a tutor but create a tutor-friend atmosphere which makes the experience for the client a comfortable one. I have realized that we sometimes assume teacher characters that have so many barriers that inhibit the clients from interacting with us optimally, and breaking these barriers has been my goal. It is much easier for another person to interact with you when you present yourself as being accessible. 

There is no journey without challenges, and with that being said, being a tutor comes with challenges. In order to overcome them, one needs to perceive them as milestones instead of threats. Overcoming challenges such as students arriving late, lots of work to cover during short periods of time and lesson cancellations has helped to sharpen my patience and understanding of the different walks of life that clients are from. 

I’ve been tutoring a hard working Matric student, who I’ll call B here. B’s tutoring is sponsored through Project 10 000. Sponsored tutoring can bring its challenges – I initially tutored B at her school, but using that venue became problematic because it was not always available. We now work in a public library, with far fewer interruptions! B struggled with some topics in Mathematical Literacy, Geography and Life Sciences and she explained how she is often afraid to reach out to the teachers when she does not understand the work. This for me meant that I had to work extra hard at breaking the barriers that exist in  B’s learning journey. I did my best to build a friendly environment where she felt encouraged to try harder every time, believe in herself and feel free to make mistakes. After her mid-year examinations, she explained how she did not panic and felt confident when writing. Her marks and level of understanding also showed major improvements and that’s when I knew that the job was well done. I felt a sense of great achievement and satisfaction. What I appreciated the most is the level of commitment and willingness from both B and her humble mother. Overall, tutoring B helped me become a better tutor and a patient person. It was truly an amazing journey. 

Being part of this wonderful project – Project 10 000 – has more than anything helped strengthen my teaching and tutoring skills and has showed me that perseverance is indeed the mother of success. Knowledge is power only when shared to empower others. Project 10 000 is a great way to ensure that this empowerment is available all students, including those who would otherwise not have the opportunity to benefit from private tutoring.

To find out more about Project 10 000, visit the webpage! 

Written by Boitumelo Vena, BrightSparkz Project 10 000 Tutor