"Other Great Tutors"

I just helped a handful of students, one of whom thinks very highly of me. According to that student, I'm one of the best writing tutors in the world. Naturally, I disagree. Given the number of writing tutors in the world, it's implausible that I'm one of the best of them. But more than that, I tend to be rather self-conscious about my abilities. I sometimes say that I'm being humble, but it's more like having self-doubts. I don't really see myself as a great tutor. Or, at least, I didn't.

Perhaps that student's over-estimation of me has rubbed off on me, or maybe I'm finally catching on to the idea that my years of tutoring experience must have increased my skill by now, but I'm finally starting to see myself as a competent, good tutor, perhaps even a great one. When talking about the other tutors at the Writing Center, I said that we have "other great tutors" at the Writing Center, implying a belief that I'm a great tutor as well.

I don't know if I'd go that far, either because of lingering self-doubts or because of trying to avoid the vice of pride, but I think I can confidently say that I am at least a good tutor. I love to help my students. I'm usually able to analyze assignments quickly and give students guidance and advice that will be helpful to them. It's not bloated boasting to say that I have the skills necessary to help my students improve their writing, like a good tutor should. I am a good tutor.

Granted, to say that I am a great tutor may be more boastful than accurate. But I'm not sure whether I'm saying that because I'm humble, or because I'm self-conscious, or because I'm wary of succumbing to pride. It's good to be humble and avoid pride, but it's also good to have confidence and to give accurate assessments, even of oneself, even when those assessments are positive and seem boastful.

I don't want to give anyone the impression that I'm better than I actually am, but I do want to have the confidence and honesty to admit that I am a good tutor, perhaps even a great one.