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| Christian Bush Class of 2018 |
In regard to history, my first session with a student always begins with a fairly standard introduction and a question along the lines of “What do you think of your class?” I like this phrasing because it is fairly open-ended and does not put the student on the spot as “How are you doing in your class” might have. While some students interpreted the former question as the latter to some degree, I often received a similar response. Many of my students said, “I’m not very good at history”, “I just have to take it for a gen-ed”, or “I hate history.” Throughout the course of the semester, I would try to discourage this line of thinking and promote engagement with the material, real-world comparisons, and deeper critical thinking. Some sessions were more successful than others, but I always tried to foster interest and relevance in the subject material. I think one of the biggest problems with teaching history is drawing connections between key individuals and events with overarching concepts. Too much of the former seems to be dependent on rote memorization. Too much of the latter seems nebulous and often not relatable. While I have a personal bias towards history over other subjects, I do think there is something inherently compelling and interesting about knowing mankind’s story and often asking the bigger questions surrounding our politics, culture, and modes of thinking. I have not and probably will not convince any of the tutoring students to change majors, but if I can help them get the grade they want and light even the smallest spark for the subject, I feel that I have done a good job.
In tutoring political science, I have been incredibly fortunate to work with people from all walks of life. In particular, I have tutored several English as a second language (ESL) and foreign exchange students. It is very humbling to see someone from outside the United States take courses on a foreign political system (often in a second or third language), and I have learned to be patient and think differently about political concepts I might take for granted. Like history, politics can sometimes can come across as very nebulous, and I try to connect both to real world examples when I can. Likewise, when a previously unknown concept “clicks” in the mind of a student, it is extremely rewarding.
Now that I am on the cusp of graduation, I know I will miss spending a few hours every week helping students with subjects that have fired my passion throughout undergrad. My hope is that students will continue to give back to those who need help, and students who need help won’t feel afraid to seek it. We all have something to give back, and I hope I have played my part well.
Christian Bush, of Louisville, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar studying political science, Asian studies, and history.