@Peter-Molnar 8 August 2025 more from that month

My Volunteering Journey to Become an ICT Tutor

After I finished my ICDL exams and started the Level 3 Award in Education and Training, I felt like I was going in the right direction. But I also knew learning theory is one thing and being in the real environment is something different. So I asked my tutor if there is any way I could do some volunteering. I just wanted to see how things really go in the classroom, you know, and also get a bit more confident around students. My tutor was really nice and said actually yes, there is a vacancy at the moment. I was surprised a little bit but excited too. After that I had an interview with the manager. It went quite well I think, and they accepted me for the volunteering position. So I started in January. At first I was just assisting the ICT tutors during the classes. Helping students with little questions, showing them where to click or how to do certain things on the screen. Even that already helped me learn a lot. When you see experienced tutors doing their job, you understand many things that books or online courses don’t really teach you. I watched how they explained things in a simple way, how they kept everyone involved, how they dealt with questions or even when someone gets stuck or frustrated. It's small things but they matter. And slowly I started to feel more confident. I didn’t feel nervous anymore. I realised I can actually do this too. I mean really teach. Then after some weeks, the tutors and the manager gave me small chances to take over the class. Maybe just for 20 minutes or half an hour in the beginning. They would say “can you explain this topic?” or “do you want to go through this exercise with them?” and I would just do it. First time I was shaking a bit inside, but I made it through and the students were happy and understood what I said. That feeling is amazing. Later on I even had opportunities to cover full days. If a tutor is off sick or not available, sometimes they ask me if I can cover and I say yes of course. It’s a big responsibility but also a big learning experience. I prepare the lesson, make sure I know what I want to say, and I try to keep the class active and help everyone. Sometimes it’s not easy. Every group is different. Some students understand fast, some need more time. But that’s the point of being a good tutor I guess—to be patient and support everyone on their own level. Volunteering really changed the way I see teaching. It’s not only about giving information, it's about connecting with people, building trust and giving them motivation. And I’m still learning every time I step into the class. But now I feel like I am much closer to my goal. I’m not just studying how to be a tutor anymore—I am slowly becoming one.