Each student who comes to Signet for guidance has their own needs, interests, and personality.
Similarly, Signet tutors have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and stories. This allows us to pair each student with the right mentor through a thoughtful and careful process.
First, we engage the student and their family to get to know them fully. We ask questions that not only clarify the logistics of tutoring, but get at emotional needs as well. Some examples are:
-
- What classes does the student take?
- What do they do for fun outside of school?
- What have been some attributes of their favorite teachers? Their least favorite?
- What is the best time and place for the student and tutor to meet?
- What are their academic goals?
- How is the student feeling about school? Are they anxious? Overconfident?
Every morning, the Signet team meets to discuss all of our incoming requests. In this meeting, we share and review everything we have learned about the families we have met during the past day. It is an opportunity for us to work collaboratively, to make suggestions and share ideas so we can decide who on our team is the best fit to help each student navigate their needs.
At the center of our consideration is a picture of the whole student. Will this student work well with a tutor who loves video games? Or maybe someone who composes music and studies philosophy? One component of a good tutor match may be a shared interest, to give them an opportunity to bond.
Do they want a tutor who is a practicing scientist or medical student? Or maybe a career academic? For some students, finding a tutor in a similar career path can be an important part of the process.
Other students respond best to personality. Do they want an SAT tutor who will diligently follow up with them and provide structure discipline, or one who can help them learn mindfulness strategies and address their anxiety? At Signet, we have all kinds of people who can match the needs of all kinds of students.
Once we have a match in mind, we send information about the tutor to our students and their families. They get to read all about their potential tutor, both their academic history and who they are as people. We share fun notes about tutor hobbies, their families, and what they like to do in their free time. Students get to confirm the matches, too! Once everyone has learned about each other, the family and the tutor are put in touch, and the relationship begins.
We love seeing a relationship build beyond the next homework assignment or standardized test. That is what we can accomplish through individually pairing all of our tutors. Regardless of the academic challenge the student may be facing, it’s about meeting their needs as a unique individual.
