I've been an English tutor at Pierce Community College for nearly six months now and let me tell you, it's not nearly as easy as it may seem. I figured it would be easy side money and a great experience to put down on my resume. Now that I've actually experienced how difficult tutoring can be, I give so much more credit to not only tutors, but also instructors.

As rewarding as tutoring has been for me, there had been days where I've asked myself if I'm even fit for tutoring. I'm a senior at California State University Northridge who's about to graduate with my degree in English Literature and yet, I still find myself struggling to explain certain course material to students who seek out my help.

I now realize that it doesn't matter if you've mastered your craft when it comes to instructing because learning a skill and teaching a skill are two completely separate strengths. If you really think about it, once you've acquired certain skills they become almost natural to you; thus, trying to explain it to someone else can pose as a challenge.

For example, if one was born and raised in America, the English language and its basic rules—regarding grammar, spelling, etc.—is completely natural to them because it's what they've been studying since they were in preschool. We don't necessarily question why we must use articles ("a" and "the") for a sentence to make sense, or perhaps why an oxford comma must be used when providing a list. We simply obtain new knowledge, practice it and keep moving forward in the school system.

That being said, one of the toughest challenges I've personally faced with tutoring is working with ESL students. One must remain patient with these types of students since they're accustomed to their native language and its rules.

Another difficulty I face is refraining from editing students' essays. As tutors, we're not supposed to provide answers for our tutees. Our job is to help guide them in finding the answer on their own because at the end of the day, we're not always going to be available to assist. If we simply provided the answers every time, the tutee wouldn't gain any knowledge.

I find it most rewarding to witness my students' progress as well as knowing there's students who have the option of seeing other tutors, but always choose to see me.

To those who are struggling in a class, don't ever hesitate to visit the tutoring center at your campus. Our job is more than just solidifying what you're learning in class. We're here as an outside resource to support you every step of the way throughout your college experience.