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Meet our UCL Engineering Student Tutors: Aditi Holey, Engineering (Biochemical) BEng
7 February 2021
In our new series, UCL Engineering hears from some of our wonderful student tutors, who provide one-to-one STEM tutoring sessions for east London schoolchildren. Next, it's Biochemical Engineering student Aditi, who has grown as a "student and a person" through tutoring.
What does being a UCL Engineering student tutor involve?
Being a tutor in this programme requires a consistent and human approach to learning. I find it crucial to remind myself how vulnerable I could feel in a competitive school environment when I struggled with subjects and the consistent support I wish I had received. With this perspective, my tutoring approach became simple: consistent hard work, understanding, patience, and enthusiasm. I find that the more approachable I can make myself, the more fruitful the sessions become!
How has being a student tutor helped you?
Time management and money aside, I have genuinely felt happier engaging in this programme. From a macro perspective, I felt more connected to the London community (particularly when we travelled to the school), a game-changer for me as a first year international student. However, as I spent more time with my tutees, I left sessions with an increasing feeling of accomplishment and gratitude. I think the positive energy boost transformed my weeks!
What's the best thing about being a student tutor?
The community I became a part of! I love the people I work with – my tutees, other tutors, and the team that supports us through every step. I have learnt something new from all of them, and it has helped me grow in many aspects as a tutor, student and a person.
How has COVID-19 impacted upon your tutoring?
I definitely miss the physical aspect of tutoring because face-to-face engagement can be critical in understanding science. It is a lot easier to explain a physics concept by showing it to [tutees] live, and it was difficult to shift this experimental environment online. However, as we learnt the tricks in Zoom and Teams, it became easier to explain these concepts, and videos, graphs, and analogies became powerful tools for learning. We also discovered some cool interactive websites that allowed us to engage with the content by simulating an environment for us.
...as I spent more time with my tutees, I left sessions with an increasing feeling of accomplishment and gratitude. I think the positive energy boost transformed my weeks!"
What advice would you give to students considering taking part in tutoring/mentoring programmes?
Do it! Be ready to spend your time and effort in such activities, and don’t underestimate how much you could give and gain from them. You will surprise yourself. Try to be exceptionally creative with your resources and use them to prepare engaging sessions. Genuinely showing you're invested 100% in the programme works wonders!
Why are such tutoring programmes needed?
Access to one-on-one teaching sessions can boost students whose potential is unfulfilled at school, but comes at a considerable cost for many schools. A consistent, high-quality learning experience should not be influenced by a price tag, and this tutoring programme accomplishes just that. With this programme (especially now that it is online), we can provide transformative support from trained tutors to any high school student with an internet connection – imagine the results!
Tell us something funny, unexpected or really special that has happened during your tutoring sessions?
This is something tiny, and it happens often, but it always makes my day! One of my tutees is incredibly expressive, and every time she understands the concept that she finds challenging, her eyes widen, and she exclaims in a higher pitch “OHHHH I GET ITTTT!!!!” and that almost always cues a mini celebratory dance. We also have had times where her cat stood right in front of her camera and demanded her attention. Still, nothing beats their broad smiles of confidence after flawlessly explaining a complicated concept back to me and receiving a thumbs up!
UCL Engineering student tutors are featured on page 6 of the UCL East Engagement Report 2019/20.
With thanks to Dr Elpida Makrygianni and Garance Mourgaud.
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- Credit: Aditi Holey.