How many times have you received a panicked call from a student or parent about a desperate need for help at the 11th hour–upcoming finals, last SAT before Early Action, or some similar hard deadline? Often, when the question of why they waited so long to call comes up, you hear a familiar response: they were studying/prepping/training on their own.
Obviously, we can accomplish phenomenal works independently of others. In the world of admissions testing, we see students self-prepping their way to perfect scores every year. But even they rarely go it alone; you may or may not be surprised to learn where such students tend to congregate.
We as educators preach the good word of seeking out guidance, coaching, and support when striving towards excellence. Why, then, do so many tutors still choose to toil apart from but in parallel to other tutors?
Obviously, if I saw you at the NTPA 2024 National Conference in Philadelphia earlier this month, you know better. The success of this event and the sheer concentration of brainpower and charm in Philly’s Center City speaks volumes to the benefits of organization.
1. You can learn from others alone, but you cannot learn by teaching without the right audience.
2. You can act ethically alone, but you cannot define and be held accountable to a robust, accepted Code of Ethics without a professional organization (and an enlightened Ethics Committee.)
3. You can study tests alone, but you cannot develop rich, mutually beneficial relationships with testing organizations and content developers without substantial mass and investment. In other words, you won’t be able to get senior executives from ACT or College Board to speak at your events…
4. You can grow as an educator on your own, but you can grow exponentially faster alongside those in the same industry or on the same journey. The more, the better!
In the past, I’ve written about how the most valuable resource all teachers have is our colleagues. I’ve urged tutors to get on the metaphorical bus, to surround themselves with people that will make them better educators, and to spend time with people who challenge and inspire you. You cannot do any of that alone, so get out there and find the groups (see below) that will help you become better in every way as an educator. Otherwise, you’ll be saying exactly what those last-minute Larrys invariably say once they get help: “Why did I wait so long?”
Why go it alone?
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If you are a test prep professional, you should join the nonprofit industry association dedicated to supporting test prep professionals, upholding the highest ethical standards, and promoting best practices in the test prep and tutoring. Join the NTPA!