Achieving a memorable college experience is what most students set out to do when
they arrive at the 91社区 (USF).
One way education majors at USF could accomplish this is by becoming a tutor through
USF鈥檚 Tutor-A-Bull program, an initiative that gives College of Education students opportunities to tutor and
mentor middle school students, while also earning a steady part-time income.
We asked Tutor-A-Bull Program Coordinator Suzanne Legg and Tutor Alicia Miller, a
mathematics education major at USF, about the program and why education majors at
USF should consider applying.
Get an early start on field experiences
If you鈥檙e a freshman or sophomore who is excited to start your teaching internship,
you don鈥檛 have to wait! Joining the Tutor-A-Bull program enables College of Education
students to spend 10-20 hours a week providing individualized and small-group instruction
to middle school students in Hillsborough County.
Gaining this kind of exposure early on, Legg says, helps Tutor-A-Bull tutors develop
their own teaching practices and learn the ins and outs of working at a school.
鈥淭utors get to interact with different teachers, watch them in action and see what
practices they can use and also, what might not work,鈥� Legg said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful
opportunity for them to interact with children, but in a small setting.鈥�
鈥淭utors get to interact with different teachers, watch them in action and see what practices they can use and also, what might not work. It鈥檚 a wonderful opportunity for them to interact with children, but in a small setting.鈥�
Network with leaders in local school districts
Creating meaningful relationships with the students you teach is a skill every educator
should have. For teacher candidates who participate in the Tutor-A-Bull program, working
with a consistent group of learners enables tutors to journey with them through their
learning highs and lows.
However, these aren鈥檛 the only relationships aspiring educators can benefit from.
Miller, a senior who is now in her fourth year in Tutor-A-Bull, says participating
in the program has helped her network with leaders and administrators in local schools,
which can open up opportunities in her future career.
鈥淚鈥檝e had many (school) liaisons tell me that they would love to have me return as
a tutor,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淪ome have told me to return to the school when I graduate
so I can teach.鈥�
Affirm your passion for the teaching profession
Teaching is a field that requires passion and enthusiasm, and the Tutor-A-Bull program
is just one way that USF students can confirm they鈥檙e on the right path in their career
goals.
Teaching different subject areas and working exclusively with middle school students
can also bring forth other key realizations, Legg says.
鈥淎 lot of people go into education to be elementary teachers and don鈥檛 consider middle
school because it鈥檚 a tricky age,鈥� Legg said. 鈥淚 think exposing them to a different
environment could steer them in a direction they didn鈥檛 consider.鈥�
For other students, like Miller, the Tutor-A-Bull Program helps them develop their
own teaching style, gain confidence in their abilities and be better equipped for
the roles they鈥檒l take on in later field experiences and their full-time teaching
career.
鈥�(Tutor-A-Bull) has further prepped me to become an educator because I have seen many
different students struggle in different ways,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淚 am now more knowledgeable
on how to approach a student because not every student learns the same way. I have
gained knowledge to help students learn and grow to better themselves.鈥�
Are you interested in becoming a tutor? Apply to USF鈥檚 Tutor-A-Bull program and learn more about the impact you can make in local middle schools. For more information, contact the program coordinator at tutorabull@usf.edu.