I’m sure you’ve told your child that being kind matters, that giving back matters, and that standing up for others matters. These were lessons typically taught within the home, not outside of it. But over the past few years, more schools, universities, and even sports teams have incorporated character education into their curriculum. As a society, we have come to recognize that while achievement may matter, being a good, well-rounded human matters just as much. One tutoring company is attempting to take that to the next level by incorporating people skills, organizational tools, and character education into all its programming. Park Tutoring, based in Irvine, CA offers all of its students who are signed up for ongoing tutoring or college counseling courses, lessons in character development. This encompasses everything from how to interview well, how to speak effectively to peers and instructors, the importance of altruism and giving back to your community, and how best to manage your time.
The level of instruction varies by age and class level, but for a First grader it might look like how to manage your schedule so you have time to do homework AND play with the new Lego set you just got. This could also include short lessons on how to communicate effectively and how to make new friends by demonstrating inclusiveness (a trait to be built upon for years) and friendliness. For high schoolers this may look like ethics lessons, conflict resolution, negotiation skills, advice on how to get involved with a charity, good study habits, and even book recommendations.
This strategy, coupled with traditional academic tutoring, is designed to help students become the best version of themselves. Park Tutoring hopes to set students up for success by giving them all the tools they need to achieve any goal they set for themselves. By combining academic prowess with character development, they are setting out to raise the next generation of thought leaders and change makers, filling the halls of government, non-profit organizations, and corner offices with leaders who are not only intelligent but have traits many of our nation’s leaders have lacked for far too long: empathy, good communication skills, and a strong moral compass. Park Tutoring is not only helping kids succeed, but succeed with purpose.
