Meet Harshini

Q. What is your name and what subjects and levels do you tutor?

I’m Harshini. I teach physics, chemistry, economics, statistics, and mathematics up to A-level. But my real tour de force is shrinking these monstrous concepts to easy pocket-sized bites!

Q. Tell us a bit about what interested you about tutoring and how you got into it.

I once had a professor who taught with such a passion that he etched lessons onto not just our brains but also our hearts. One day, as I tried to convey to him how much I appreciated his teaching, he said, “Don’t thank me. Teach someone else.” That idea stuck. He believed that gratitude isn’t just about giving thanks. It’s about paying it forward. Every time I tutor, I’m passing on that torch to someone who, in their turn, will pass it along further.

Q. What has been the most rewarding part of tutoring for you so far?

It’s that exhilarating moment when a student doesn’t just solve a problem or recall a fact, but feels the weight and wonder of what they’ve learned. It’s when history transforms from mere stories of yesteryears, and mathematics evolves beyond cold equations, converging in their minds into the rich, intertwined narrative that is our world.

Q. What do you feel has been most impactful for your students?

The conviction that the student’s learning is my responsibility. If a concept escapes them, it’s my puzzle to solve. If ennui sets in, it’s my play to reinvent. If they stumble, I’m right beside them to turn it into a dance.

Q. Finally, can you tell us a story of a particular referral with an especially positive and exciting outcome?

I remember a student who was pretty knocked back by a bad exam score. I told her about the time I too did poorly on an important exam and how a friend reminded me that if it were that easy, it would probably not be worth doing. That narrative reframed her perspective. After all, if she kept acing her exams, it would only mean she was not learning as much as she could be. A hiccup like this wasn’t a sign of weakness but of courage; it was a sign she was stretching, challenging herself, and growing.