LeBron James, Venus Williams, Lindsey Vonn, Peyton Manning, and Magnus Carlsen have something else in common, besides reaching the pinnacle of their sports.
They all have trainers! Even basketball legend Michael Jordan had them.
In fact, sports stars have teams of trainers working on various aspects of their game. Now these are the most talented individuals in sports. Why would they need trainers? After all, Venus doesn’t need to be told how to hit a powerful cross-court backhand, or Jordan, how to shoot a basket or for that matter Carlsen, how to checkmate. But they still need trainers. The reason is that they need to get better. Talent does not guarantee success. A lot of hard work and training has to be put in to achieve success. Trainers help in accelerating learning, refining the skills, pointing out the slightest errors in techniques, and developing new ideas.
It’s the same reason smart students hire tutors – to accelerate their learning curve and enhance their understanding. With the kind of academic and extra-curricular load that a School student is expected to carry and the pace at which curriculum is covered in schools, there’s not much time to learn a topic before the teacher moves on to the next one. Many students realize that the best way to stay competitive in academics is to have the timely assistance of a tutor.
If you don't understand something in class, you're not alone. Most students have problems with various topics in different subjects. That doesn't mean you're not smart. All it means is that you need someone to explain it in a way that you understand. And sometimes, classes move at a pace where it's hard to get your doubts cleared or a topic clarified.
Tutoring is no longer just associated with remedial services but is considered a competitive edge. Colleges have become hyper-competitive, and if you don't meet the score cutoffs, the application doesn't even make it to the next round. Standardized tests are all about testing your concepts and doing so in different ways. A few correct answers can make the difference between a high score and an average score. Today, tutoring is more of a training tool to maintain an edge that pays off when it's time to apply to your wish list of colleges.
So just relax, for you're not supposed to know everything. But make sure if you don't know something, then Ask! You can ask your teacher, or your parent or use a tutor. But don't ignore it. Math and Science are built upon concepts that you acquire in earlier grades. So keep your foundation strong.
