The library is the best place to be if you really want to develop your mind. Libraries are full of resources that inspire you and encourage you to learn more. Not just for your sake, but for the sake of your tuition students as well (your studying is more to their benefit, as a matter of fact).
Singapore is home to a host of libraries, both public and private. There are over 15 public libraries and private academic libraries. Singapore also has a strategically located national library, and still more libraries are being opened. You have no excuse not to go to a library if you are in Singapore: they are everywhere. Among the reasons why you should go to the library is that you get a free library card. With it, all the library’s resources are yours to use. Libraries are also the most conducive places for you to research, study, or simply read a good book. There is a lot of space, good lighting, peaceful quiet, and the smell of books to keep you company.
It is important for you as a tutor to understand and value the importance of a library. Going to the library helps you in the following ways:
1. Take Advantage Of The Resources
The library offers a host of services, as well as experiences. Libraries these days are so sophisticated that, with a library card, there are so many resources at your fingertips. Technology, media, classes, all of these tempt you away from the main thing the library has to offer. The books in the library contain so much knowledge and instruction. These can aid you in improving yourself as a tutor.
Many libraries in Singapore have educational material that is up-to-date and free for you to use. You can get some of these materials online on your own, but they are either incomplete or have to be purchased.
Taking advantage of what the library has to offer takes a lot of pressure off your wallet. Tutoring is a very competitive field, and the library can give you an edge on the competition. Most of them have information on what the students are reading in the schools.
You can inquire from a librarian to know what the books are so that you can give your tutoring students a head-start on what to read for the coming school term. Avail yourself of these resources as much as possible.
What’s more, most of the libraries in Singapore have audio books and e-books that you can download. You can get these services online if you can’t fit in time to visit the library.
2. Be Inspired Again
Sometimes, tutoring can become a bit dull. This could be due to a repetition of lessons or the routine nature of your work. When things become like this, it is time to shake things up.
A visit to the library is just the thing. The library can be a magical place sometimes. All you have been looking for could be right there in the library and you wouldn’t know it. Go to the library to get that spark back. Tutoring and learning go hand-in-hand, both for you and your students.
You and your students share the same excitement and curiosity for learning new things. The books in the library will inspire you and rekindle that passion for tutoring. You will gain new knowledge that would make you enthusiastic about sharing it with your students.
3. Guide Your Own Self-Improvement
As a tutor, you are supposed to be dedicated to your own self-improvement, just as you are committed to improving your students. What makes you a great tutor can make you a great professional in the education field.
To grow professionally, you need to be up-to-date on the most recent educational practices available. Not only do you develop yourself as a tutor, but you also stay ahead of the competition. However, there could be a small snag in this bid to become the best tutor you can be. The materials you need, such as books on test prep or the reading lists for college courses, are quite expensive. Even older versions of these books don’t come free or cheap. But that is why the library is there.
Why bother about buying when you can borrow for free? Libraries also stay informed on news about education, having education trade magazines and newspapers that you won’t get from your news source. While the libraries may not have the exact books and materials as used by the schools, they do have alternatives that work just as well.
You can get access to these and a whole lot more with just your library card. You can also save yourself the cost of buying educational material that could be of less worth than it costs.
4. Find New Teaching Material
There is always something new to be found in the library. Education is constantly evolving, and so should you as a tutor. You can get new material for instruction at the library, and the fact that it is free cannot be over-emphasized. Not only do libraries have new, recent educational materials: they also have old, rare materials.
If you are tutoring in History, some of these will be very helpful for you. These materials can only be available to you upon special request, but they are worth it because of the knowledge you will get. You can always get new tools and information to instruct your students from the library.
Conclusion
A library is a tutor’s best friend, literally. From the many libraries in Singapore, both local and private, you can get access to varieties of educational resources for free. This eliminates the need for you to pay for test prep books and books to tutor your college students, which can be quite expensive.
Going to the library helps you to become a better tutor and a better educational professional. The library inspires you and gives you new materials to teach your students with. Your local library is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. Waste no time in visiting it today.
Curious about how you can better yourself as a tutor? We recommend these articles:
How to Use the ‘Flipped Classroom’ Technique to Tutor More Effectively
3 Tips to be an Effective Home Tutor for Primary School
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