Cheyenne Haslett ’13
Web Features Editor
Jordan Glick ’11 got into tutoring last year, his junior year, when he decided he “wanted a job.”
The decision to have this kind of a job was based on convenience.
“I figured that it would be better than working in a store or restaurant because of the flexibility,” Glick said.
But before the aspects of tutoring can be weighed out, a student looking to tutor should get their name out. A way student tutors have done this is through the guidance department, and through parents.
Getting business is easy at Staples, according to a few students, who are approached all the time. The subjects that most need tutoring range from high school math to middle school world language.
Nicki Brill ’11 tutors middle-schoolers in Spanish and math. She tutors two kids new to the Westport curriculum “the basics of what we have learned up to eighth grade.”
To come up with lesson plans, Brill asked the students what they wanted to get out of her tutoring. She applied those ideas to the lessons she taught them. She brought notes from her Bedford Middle School years, which has proven to be very helpful.
Glick agreed with this, saying that in order to make sure he is well versed on a subject, he goes over his old notes from classes he’s taken before he tutors them.
Melissa Sweeney ‘11, who tutors math after school and on weekends, similarly uses this method of refreshing in order to prep for sessions.
Sweeney takes 4 AP’s and 1 honors class and is in the middle of applying to colleges, like Brill and Glick, but still manages to prep and tutor other students.
“It’s a lot to handle, but I just accept the fact that I never have free time… I basically sleep eat, play sports and work,” said Sweeney.
Glick tutors 3-5 days a week, sometimes twice a day. “Tutoring two hours a day definitely takes its toll,” Glick said.
Brill said it is tough to take on the job of tutoring, and of fulfilling other students academic needs before your own, but “definitely do-able.”
Though tutoring is time consuming, having too much business is a good problem to have, Glick said. With a range of prices from $20-$45 an hour, and tutoring being used so often at Staples, students have the opportunity to make tutoring into a real job.
The best thing about tutoring isn’t the money, however, at least not for Sweeney, Brill, or Glick.
“The best thing about tutoring is seeing the kids improve from what you’ve taught them,” Brill said.
Sweeney felt the same, in that while tutoring adds a lot more to manage, it definitely has advantages.
“I enjoy helping others by tutoring,” Sweeney said.
There is no need to look further than Staples for a tutor, because as Glick said, and many others agree, “I never turn anyone down, so feel free to ask.”
