Rook Street Tutors provides holistic educational support to 8–18-year-old young people.

By Rook Street Tutors

Part 2

(Part one can be read here)

In the middle part of their interview, Reem and Noah speak about what is involved in the learning process with Rook Street tutors. They discuss the role of tutors for navigating in different sets of circumstances and putting young people in touch with their abilities.

Reem: It feels like 'care' is such a big part of Rook Street. Tell me more about how this care happens in our work.

Noah: Yes, so beyond friendship and Oxford, care puts me, you, Matthew, and James together in a group. I mean a general, human care, and caring for tutoring. For all the qualities, care makes sense of us as tutors, individually and as a group. Consequently, it plays through the way of tutoring at Rook Street. We have been conscious to incorporate this strength. It is important to us that students see clearly that care holds the thing together.

I am hearing back a conversation with a much older, much wiser teacher. He would boil those fifty years in a Maths classroom down to the capacity to get on an empathic level demonstrate that you care. It is practically the only advice he will give.

I have another example close here in you. With you care comes in the deep way you listen. I feel being listened to right now. Care comes in your seriousness about being dependable. Care comes in all the details of how you tutor. I’m thinking of how you recognise what is implicit - for where a student is reaching their fill, or how they have got stuck. And this backbone of care provides room for your other qualities.

Reem: What do you think young people look for in a tutor? Is it different to what their parents or guardians might look for?

Noah: Parents often have clearer ideas about what they are looking for – a tutor who is reliable, motivating, knowledgeable. Young people can be remarkably discerning and particular about what they benefited from. One tuttee left a message about the value in seeing an example who was intelligent, a “verging nerd,” (qualities he had not associated with) and like him somehow. That helped reconnect with the interested part of himself, which he really grew into.

I mainly think in terms of what we can do for the wants and needs. We are in a fortunate position, the four of us with our own qualities and key points in common. We just talked about care. A big advantage at Rook Street is the time and space we devote between us tutors to help, inform, and upskill with each other. We develop a lot in this company, and we do so to meet the needs of families.

I knew a young person marked with behavioural problems at school. For whatever reason, the presence of a young person with abilities was not clear. That cloud made for frustration and a shortfall in confidence. As tutors, we dedicate time to consider techniques and instruments that might make the difference – the simpler the better. This young person found a groove with a journal (with some gentle persuasion) and his self-understanding blossomed. In brass tacks, he won exam results that were not on the cards at the beginning of our relationship. We are in the business of helping young people to find and grow into their own qualities.

Visit rookstreettutors.com to learn more about the tutors and how they find paths for young people.