“Teachers who inspire know that teaching is like cultivating a garden, and those who would have nothing to do with thorns must never attempt to gather flowers” (author unknown).
I am a teacher. That’s what I am, and what I do, whether in a classroom setting, from a pulpit, in one on one tutoring, or in writing.
I don’t know when the penchant began to try to explain and “open up” a subject or topic or idea for another person – to help another person have an “ah hah” moment. Maybe it was back in my teens or perhaps at Clemson helping fellow students with Chemistry up in the library.
Maybe it developed when I taught high school physics, chemistry, physical science, and biology for five years at Brookland-Cayce High School in the Columbia SC area. I don’t know how good I was overall at classroom teaching, but what I did most enjoy was thinking on my feet, taking questions, drawing pictures on the board, coming up with examples and illustrations until, hopefully, the light turned on, which I could usually see happen in the face of a student.
I did a lot of after school one on one tutoring then as well – same process and same goal.
Pastoral ministry of course involved a lot of teaching and “tutoring.” I always loved most the back and forth of discussion, the process of trying to illustrate or explain or otherwise make clear some troubling or confusing biblical or theological matter. The kids always asked the best questions.
Over the years I tutored several young people in physics, chemistry and math. In 2009 I had the privilege of tutoring a group of young people in physics at Caldwell Academy in Greensboro. That was a lot of fun. For real, it was!
I offer tutoring services in many different areas of science, math, and English composition and grammar, and bible/theology. I am happy to tutor an older grammar school child or a retiree heading back to school, a high school or college student, or a bible study or small group.
I am tutoring an elderly friend in basics of computer use – things like organizing a file structure, using a basic word processor, attaching photos, building an e-mail address book and so forth. I’ve known that helpless feeling of a computer expert rattling things off I can barely understand, being on the 8th instruction while I am still back on #2.
I can provide tutoring at a local library, coffee house or student’s home, or at my sister’s house on Deerfield Drive, depending upon various factors.
Rates and References are available upon request.
Contact me by e-mail at gillespie.joel@gmail.com or phone at 336-207-0196.
