Ketika masih kuliah, saat libur semester saya pernah mencoba kerja menjadi guru pengganti di sebuah sekolah. Tidak lama, hanya beberapa kali saja.

Saya juga pernah menjadi guru les (tutor) untuk beberapa anak dari usia SD-SMP. Yang ini saya jalani lebih rutin dan lebih lama. Pemasukan yang saya dapat dari pekerjaan ini membuat saya punya uang saku ekstra dan bisa bernafas lebih lega karena uang kiriman ortu dulu tidaklah berlebihan.

Sekarang setelah saya punya anak, dan meng-HS-kan anak sendiri, terasa sekali peran saya lebih seperti seorang tutor, bukan guru. Lebih sering saya mengikuti irama Joel, saya tidak diburu oleh jam pelajaran, tidak harus disetir oleh kurikulum. Kadang saya lompati bagian2 yang menurut saya dan Joel tidak penting, atau tidak menarik. Dan tidak ada yang akan memecat saya karena ‘pelanggaran’ itu. :p

Tulisan di sini* makin meneguhkan pendapat saya tadi.

*Tulisannya dibuat oleh staf Home Life Academy, sebuah lembaga yang memberikan jasa grading+transcript, counselling & record keeping untuk homeschooler.

Ini saya kutipkan di bawah ini….

I’ve done two years of teaching; and I’ve done a lot of tutoring. They are very different.

The teacher must make the student conform to the schedule.
The tutor may conform the schedule to the student.

The teacher must follow the set curriculum.
The tutor may adapt the curriculum as needed.

The teacher must apply one curriculum to an entire group.
The tutor can custom tailor the curriculum for the individual.

The teacher has limited time to get to know the student.
The tutor gets to know his or her students intimately.

The teacher receives an evaluation from superiors.
The tutor receives an evaluation from the student.

The teacher is viewed by the student as an enforcer of rules.
The tutor is viewed by the student as a resource for further understanding.

The teacher’s job and success is completely measured by the final grades (and now, the standardized tests).
The tutor’s job and success is measured by interaction with the student (through conversation, relaxed projects, field trips, writing and re-writing, etc.).

The teacher’s student is primarily concerned about making the teacher happy.
The tutor’s student is primarily concerned about satisfying their curiosity and desire to learn.

The teacher must keep moving in order to “cover” all the material.
The tutor may take as long as needed for the material to cover itself.

If I could have my way I would change all our correspondance with parents, and all our information on the website, from calling parents “teachers” to calling them “tutors.” It seems to make a great deal of difference.