I have a hard time with rich people. And I have a fairly low threshold regarding who I consider to be rich people. However, since I need to tutor kids whose parents can afford to pay me, I've been working with more people who I consider to be rich, or at least well-off.
I was worried about this- I've been working pretty exclusively with kids in poverty before this, and I thought the wealthier kids would be harder for me - more entitled, more spoiled, etc. This is true in part, but not entirely. I had a lesson in how rich kids aren't necessarily this way with a little girl I work with.
This girl, who's about 9 years old, goes to a very expensive, very prestigious private school. She is chatty, and started asking me about the kids I used to teach. She asked if I tutored any of the kids who I used to teach. When I said no, she asked why. I said, "Well, most of them don't have the money to pay for tutoring." She said, "Can't their parents pay?" I explained that actually their parents were pretty poor and couldn't afford it.
The little girl looked at me with huge eyes. She started tearing up. I think it was honestly the first time she has ever considered poor kids before, as a real possibility. For the rest of the session, she kept asking me about the kids and how they could be helped. This girl is extremely privileged and quite insulated. But I think she might end up being OK, just from natural compassion.
Three years ago: Adventures in Subbing
Four years ago: Song Flutes
I was worried about this- I've been working pretty exclusively with kids in poverty before this, and I thought the wealthier kids would be harder for me - more entitled, more spoiled, etc. This is true in part, but not entirely. I had a lesson in how rich kids aren't necessarily this way with a little girl I work with.
This girl, who's about 9 years old, goes to a very expensive, very prestigious private school. She is chatty, and started asking me about the kids I used to teach. She asked if I tutored any of the kids who I used to teach. When I said no, she asked why. I said, "Well, most of them don't have the money to pay for tutoring." She said, "Can't their parents pay?" I explained that actually their parents were pretty poor and couldn't afford it.
The little girl looked at me with huge eyes. She started tearing up. I think it was honestly the first time she has ever considered poor kids before, as a real possibility. For the rest of the session, she kept asking me about the kids and how they could be helped. This girl is extremely privileged and quite insulated. But I think she might end up being OK, just from natural compassion.
Three years ago: Adventures in Subbing
Four years ago: Song Flutes
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