Why do I tutor?

I was asked this recently. Here are my thoughts.

I wanted to be a teacher from when I was a small child. I was the first person in my family to go to university. I became a teacher and loved it. Students with additional needs tended to do well with me, and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) became an unofficial speciality.

My physical health has never been great with autoimmune illnesses and many surgeries etc, and after 10 years in the classroom I had to leave teaching. I missed it a lot. I missed interacting with the students and supporting the families.

When my own daughter developed additional needs, and was eventually diagnosed as autistic at age 13, I was glad to have the space and time to support her. As I joined the community of parents of children with additional needs, I also began tutoring their children. They did well with me and I understood their needs. After my own ADHD diagnosis, and further diagnoses for my daughter, I learned all I could from the neurodivergent community, hearing stories and valuing experiences.

I am now an established local tutor. Most referrals are word of mouth and it is refreshing for my families to have someone who understands their child and their needs from a different perspective. I help with advocating for the families, as this is a skill you perfect when fighting for support for your own child. I teach my students about their diagnosis and what it means to them and how they learn. We develop strategies together which work for them, as they are based on their skill set rather than neurotypical expectations.

Why do I tutor? To make a difference. To be an ally. To teach students and families that there is always a way forward and there are many different ways to succeed.