TIME TO REFLECT: OUR CORE VALUES

5-minute read.

Tutoring Club of McLean operates according to a certain set of philosophies or principles that underlie all of our conduct both internally, amongst staff, as well as externally, with our students, parents, and business partners. These philosophies are our Core Values. They help remind us how to determine right from wrong, they ensure we keep on the right path and continue to fulfill our duties as educators and mentors, and they create an unwavering and unchanging guide for us to follow.

These Core Values are: Nurturing, Fun, Accountable, Respectful, Inspiring, and Integrity.

As we look back on this year, we want to reflect on what each of these values means and examine some real-life instances in which we exhibited them through our day-to-day work. Let’s take a closer look!

Nurturing.

Being nurturing means that we care about every student, their families, and our teammates. We display warmth in every interaction and always strive to help others. When challenges arise, we are compassionate and understanding.

Caregivers and students alike open up to us and are comfortable speaking with us; they find us relatable and feel cared for. We guide students on how to be the best learners they can, and we encourage new students and caregivers by letting them know that there is hope and that we can provide a solution.

Example: A mother called us with concerns that her daughter has been struggling with math for years and hasn’t improved, despite her trying to help at home. She felt incredibly guilty that her attempts were not working. We reassured her that it’s not too late, this problem is not uncommon, and that without her help, her daughter would probably have struggled even more. We let her know that we’d do everything in our power to get to the root of the issue and get her daughter back on track. This put the mother at ease and assured her that we would be a good fit.

Fun.

Being fun means that we provide a safe, friendly place to learn new stuff and get better at the hard stuff. Learning isn’t always easy, but it’s always okay at Tutoring Club of McLean to say, “I don’t know!” We are here to help students figure things out at their own pace and have a good time. We reward risk-taking and growth through incentives, brain-building games, and constant support.

We make students want to learn new things and develop strong study skills versus feeling like they have to do so. For older students, this is the place to step up their skills, strengthen their study habits, and map out their path to college. We create a welcoming social environment to be with friends and get the support they need.

Example: We are always coming up with fun and engaging games and contests for students to participate in. This past summer, we ran three separate contests (a reading contest, a creative writing contest, and a stock exchange challenge) and a weekly raffle! Participating students won all sorts of prizes like Spotify and Amazon gift cards and tokens, which they can use to buy toys from our Student Store or even convert into cash! And we did it all virtually, too!

Accountable.

Being accountable means that we understand that each student has unique needs. We get to know students and caregivers before enrollment so that we can design a tailored plan for success for each student. We strive to work closely with caregivers, ensure that the game plan is effective, and make necessary adjustments.

We know where we see the best results and thus stand behind our recommendations, laying out the steps necessary to achieve the desired results. We ensure that students and caregivers understand the requirements in the recommended game plan.

Example: We noticed that a student was not moving through TC Reading at the pace we anticipated. First, we reached out to his instructors for feedback, reviewed his tutors’ notes, and his student file. Then, we came up with actionable recommendations. After we pulled together all the data we needed, we reached out to his parents to schedule a meeting to review his game plan and make the necessary adjustments. Within a few weeks, the student was back on track!

Respectful.

Being respectful means that we are inclusive and show respect to all individuals by practicing active listening and striving to consider diverse viewpoints. We create an open and inviting atmosphere while respecting the boundaries of every person.

We are sensitive to a variety of cultural and economic backgrounds and fit comfortably in our respective communities. We handle disagreements in a polite and professional manner. We listen to each other and make an effort to understand the other’s viewpoint. We make compromises when needed.

Example: A coworker began showing up late for their tutoring sessions without giving us any warning. This was very unusual behavior for the teammate. Rather than approaching them in an accusatory way, someone from our leadership team asked them if everything was going okay. The leader listened carefully to their response and made an effort to see the situation from the tutor’s perspective. The issue was quickly resolved calmly and effectively, and we made sure to reinforce the notion that our staff can come to us with any issues they might be having in or out of the workplace and that we will do what we can to help. We haven’t had tardiness issues since!

Inspiring.

Being inspiring means we engage students and each other in our mission: helping students gain the confidence and passion to become lifelong, independent learners who achieve their goals. With the guidance of their instructors, students challenge themselves in a realistic manner and get excited about working hard.

We encourage our educators to find their strengths, follow their passions, and expand their leadership within our business. We know our tutors have the opportunity to be life-changing for a student, so investing in their professional development is a key part of our business model. It means our staff can be the best mentors they can be for our students!

Example: We took on a new student who needed help with physics, but she was extremely disinterested in the subject. We paired that student with one of our rockstar physics tutors, who lives and breathes science and was more than excited to help the student. Throughout their sessions, the tutor demonstrated such a passion for the subject matter that eventually the student began to look forward to her sessions and made huge improvements! Now, physics is no longer a class she dreads attending.

Integrity.

Having integrity means that we are honest, trustworthy, responsible, dependable, and consistent. We adhere to strong moral and ethical codes no matter how hard things get. That means we behave in honorable ways, even when no one is watching.

We know that our students look to us as role models and we strive to set a positive example for them. We live and embody our values every day in our work, through our customer and coworker relationships, and in our personal lives.

Example: A coworker had a long day before her tutoring shift at TCM and was tired when she arrived. Regardless, she greeted each of her students with a smile on her face and completed her sessions to the best of her abilities, because she knew that her students and teammates were counting on her.

See for yourself!

Here at Tutoring Club of McLean, we are so proud to continue to uphold our Core Values and serve our community in the best way possible. Give us a call today to learn more about the programs we have available to help you pinpoint skill gaps for your student. Once we get to know you and your student better and identify their unique needs, we’ll set up a customized game plan to get them back on track with their academic goals.

Michelle Scott
Owner/Director
Tutoring Club of McLean
703.237.TUTOR (8886)
Email:McLeanVA@tutoringclub.com