Journey to 1000 Hours of Online Volunteering
When starting my academic coaching experience, there was almost this skeptical naivety that plagued my mind. How could I have any impact on my fellow peers? I thought it crazy to even be signing up. The phrase online tutoring was completely foreign to me. While optimistic and excited, truth be told, I was scared. Scared of not being adequately prepared.
Of course, I have helped some friends in the past with coursework. I told myself I was overthinking things. There is nothing to worry about. I desperately wanted to help. I understood the absolute frustration of not understanding the gibberish my teachers would say. I knew that I was lucky to have siblings and parents with free time, but the thought still haunted me. What if I’m not helpful to others?
That thought quickly disappeared after accepting my first request on UPchieve. There was no foretold transformation. No facade. Essentially, it was just a conversation. Complete strangers, yet the session became more than just a transaction. There is something indescribable about being able to be there to witness the light bulbs going off in the tutee’s head. Despite never having met this person, I have, even if in a small way, become part of that student’s education. I would have never been able to have such a special and rewarding experience without the power of online volunteering.
What is Online Volunteering?
Online volunteering, as the name suggests, is a type of volunteering that occurs virtually. The concept became popularized during and even after the COVID 19 quarantine period.
As it is virtual, this makes it an extremely convenient mode of planning, tutoring, and just giving back to the community. This convenience stems from three traits that differ from traditional volunteer work.
Firstly, online volunteering offers very flexible hours that shift accordingly to heavy or unpredictable schedules. Secondly, it provides the ease of not commuting which is usually a big factor in what offers are available. Last but not least, it makes it EXTREMELY easy to get started. There is absolutely no pressure, no heavy commitments, and starts with you.
I'm currently a volunteer tutor on UPchieve, a 24/7 tutoring platform for low-income high school students, and I’ve loved my experience since the day I signed up. However, my knack for learning and teaching wasn’t always something that was fulfilling to me.
When I Learned to Love Learning
I can still remember the day when learning became fun. School for me was always a place of dread, unrelenting work placated only by YouTube and social interaction. Despite being a bit more capable of managing coursework than my peers, that foolish pride never manifested itself into anything useful. Instead, it only became boredom. Sitting in class was something I did on autopilot. Knowledgeable teachers preached their lessons. Insightful, yet long gone from my current memory. Coming into my second year of junior high, I was mainly excited to see my friends, but deep down, learning was still not something I enjoyed.
I remember one of my middle school math teachers, Mr. Ip. When I first saw him, I thought he was just a grumpy middle-aged man reading a newspaper. But, there was something different about this new math teacher that my friends and I found to be interesting.
“My name is Mr. Ip and it is my pleasure to get to meet you all. I transferred here from Brooklyn Tech.” My friends and I sat with anticipation. Turning around he looks at us thoughtfully and with an almost wistful voice, he asks: “What is infinity?” The next hour was the most fascinating, thought-provoking, and, of course, enjoyable class I’d had up to that point. He managed to present such a complicated topic in a digestible manner while at the same time, treating us with respect. In the years that followed, Mr. Ip used Physics, Biology, and even Game Theory to explore the many facets of mathematical concepts. He made his lessons relatable, understandable, and inclusive.
He introduced to me a new way of applying knowledge, transformed my love for math, and most importantly garnered my respect. He has become an irrevocable aspect of my education and who I am today. The feeling of finally understanding something is truly liberating and empowering. I recognize how lucky I have been in receiving such a wonderful teacher and I hope to recreate this feeling in as many of my peers as possible.
My Journey to Reaching 1000 Hours of Online Volunteering
My dream of helping my peers has come true through volunteering at UPchieve. I joined in October 2022, and in my time tutoring here, I’ve come to realize that the feeling of empowerment isn’t only experienced by the tutee. Rather, it’s mutual. There is an inextricable joy that is shared by the tutor when that light bulb finally dings in the student’s head. I have grown to respect not only teachers in this process but also the students who are willing to reciprocate those hours of attentive tutoring.
While my goal of 1,000 hours is a bit far-fetched, I am absolutely determined to succeed. To date, I have compiled over 150+ hours of tutoring. With over 90 requests filled, I have no plans on stopping! With each request I accept, I am introduced to a wonderful, bright, and over-achieving student. I am able to communicate with actual people that want to learn. I’ve had students talk to me about their school lives, open up to me about their very real worries about their grades, and shared beautiful and heartwarming comments about my teaching style.
I have grown and am still growing. Sometimes I feel like I’m learning more than the student themselves! Each new person I tutor shows me a new perspective and humbles me into realizing that I still have a long way to go.
Final Thoughts on My Journey to 1,000 Hours
My dedication to the goal of 1,000 hours is my way of demonstrating my appreciation to Mr. Ip for showing me there was more to learning than mundane memorization. It’s also my way to give back to the students for having the commitment to learn. Lastly, it’s for the UPchieve team for making this possible. If you’re ever considering doing any sort of online volunteering, I highly recommend that you do it. You never know what you might learn about yourself!
Of course, 1000 is merely a milestone, and like with many things in life, there is no finish line. But, I’m accepting this challenge.
Are you willing to accept this challenge with me? It doesn’t have to be the same as mine, but I encourage you to sign up today to become a volunteer with UPchieve!