For over a decade, National Tutoring Week has been celebrated each year in October. This year, it runs Oct. 7-11.

At Madison College, our campus Student Achievement Centers employ peer tutors who can help you with a variety of courses.

I asked one of our peer tutors, John Clark, a few questions about his work in the Student Achievement Center. He is currently a third semester nursing student and works at our Fort Atkinson Campus.

He received the campus Peer Tutor of the Year award in 2018.

What do you enjoy about tutoring?

My favorite part of tutoring is the opportunity to learn with the student. I usually try to approach a subject slightly differently than the instructor does to see if the student responds to a different ap-proach.

In doing so, I am forced to reevaluate my own knowledge and approach. So, in actuality, guiding a student through a difficult topic helps increase my understanding at the same time.

What do you think some common misconceptions are about coming to see a tutor, or being a tutor?

Unfortunately, many students feel that seeing a tutor is a sign of failure. As such, they often don’t seek assistance early enough, and can see their grades suffer. Tutoring is not designed to teach a whole class, or resurrect an entire semester’s grade.

I think it is critical to change the mindset that students have about tutoring. Removing the stigma of seeking assistance can only benefit students, going forward.

What’s your favorite subject to tutor in?

I really enjoy tutoring Anatomy  and Physiology 2, as well as Chemistry (they are often intimately connected).

These subjects provide the most flexibility in their instructional approach. Not every student immediately learns in the way that is taught in class, so I love guiding them through a dif-ferent approach.

When successful, it is an extremely rewarding experience.

Tutoring at Madison College’s Student Achivement Center is free to current students, and no appointment is needed.

To see what support is available at your campus, check out the webpage for the Student Achievement Center at https://libguides.madisoncollege.edu/studentachievementcenters.