December’s Tutor Highlight Nabhijit talks about working on the African Ancestry Tutoring Program


What program(s) did you work on?

African Ancestry Tutoring Program

Tell us about a time that was especially meaningful for you as a volunteer at BATA?
In one of my first tutoring sessions, I was assigned a student who I presumed needed math homework help. I immediately helped him work through a problem, and after he understood it and I was able to confirm that, we stopped to introduce ourselves. When I heard that this student was in elementary school, I was quite confused, because their homework seemed far too difficult for that grade level. It turned out that they were simply going above and beyond their current level by scanning through a higher grade’s textbook, and asking me on how to solve the difficult problems. This was when I realized that this student had a passion for learning, specifically math, and we were able to connect on that topic and have had a great time since.

How did you get involved with BATA?
1 month

How have the students responded to you?
They listen to my explanations and are delighted when a concept “clicks” in their minds.

What subject(s) are you passionate about?
Math, Science, Computer Science

What do you enjoy most about tutoring?
I enjoy getting students to understand, and not memorize what they are being taught. This makes sure that they will never forget it and are able to apply a general method everywhere.

Why is it important to tutor students?
I feel it is important to tutor students because education is invaluable. Knowledge is one thing nobody can take away from you, so I feel my role as a tutor to provide knowledge and the foster independent thinking is very important and impactful on students.

How has working with BATA had an impact on you?
Working with BATA has been massively rewarding for me as I am helping the community while also hopefully spreading my passion for STEM to many young students.

What has been the biggest surprise about volunteering at BATA?
The biggest surprise to me is that it doesn’t feel tedious or monotonous, because each student is different and each question is different. I myself have to get creative to convey what I know to a student who is not as far along in their academic journey, whether it be diagrams on the whiteboard or relatable analogies.

Any words of encouragement for potential volunteers:
You get to share your passion with others, while helping them succeed too!