The Purpose of Tutoring

20 Feb 2024

Note from George Hall, Co-founder

As an assistant manager at Kumon for over a year, I’ve seen the horrors of traditional, group-tutoring institutions. When a one-size-fits-all approach is employed, no child’s needs are entirely met, and many kids make little progress after months of endless worksheets. Distractions are frequent, learning materials are often missing, and the focus of an instructor is split between multiple children at once.

Reflecting on what I’ve observed at Kumon, I began questioning the fundamental purpose of tutoring. Is it merely a means to pass a test or gain admission to a prestigious school? While these are undoubtedly valid reasons for seeking additional instruction, I believe that effective tutoring should transcend being a mere tool to move a student from point A to point B.

Great tutoring utilizes “first-principles thinking,” instilling a confidence in students that exceeds mere memorization. Remembering how to answer a question is one skill, whereas knowing why an answer is fundamentally correct is a different beast altogether.

This is exactly why we founded Momentum Tutoring; I have personally seen that children learn best when presented with friendly, one-on-one lessons that prioritize understanding over regurgitation. Our goal is to empower students academically and personally, promoting excitement around understanding. Join us on this journey towards meaningful and impactful learning!

Why I Chose Momentum

20 Feb 2024

Note from JJ Ishizaki, Co-Founder

My first tutoring job was when I was a junior, when I volunteered to teach chemistry to an underclassman. Then, I further persued tutoring as I mentored a middle schooler in math. Both of these experiences were extremely rewarding and I strongly attribute that to the one-on-one nature of the tutoring I preformed. By meeting my pupils in quiet, private enviornments, I was able to connect with them in a friendly and conversational manner. As well, settings like these enabled me to personally tailor practices and explainations. As a result, I quickly learned the value of teaching concepts that were familiar to me in ways that younger audiences can understand. At the same time, I was even able to see the effectiveness of this style of tutoring as my chemistry student went on to achieve high 90s on his subsequent exams.

Now, as I continue my acedemic journey, I only hope to facilitate more of these intimate yet powerful tutoring sessions. Thats exactly why I co-founded Momentum. By working to tutor more students, I aspire to learn more about teaching and working with the youth in STEM subjects. Simultaniously, Momentum gives me the privailage to collaborate with other tutors as they go out and share their own passions.