Sometimes, people think about tutoring as a method of helping only those who struggle. The truth is, everyone struggles at some point; and even for those who excel in their fields, there’s always opportunity to expand their knowledge. That’s why some of history’s most famous people either benefited from tutoring or became tutors themselves—and, in many cases, did both.

Don’t believe us? Just take a look at some of the most famous tutor-student relationships of all time and see if you really think tutoring is only for those who struggle.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (tutoring Johann Nepomuk Hummel)

It’s difficult to imagine a student more fortunate in his teachers than Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Not only did he receive two years of free housing and lessons from Mozart, but after Mozart’s death he would go on to receive instruction from other famous names in Viennese music including Joseph Hadyn and Antonio Salieri.

Although Hummel did receive a blow to his self-confidence when he encountered another student by the name of Ludwig van Beethoven, Hummel eventually befriended Beethoven and achieved a stunning virtuosity on the keyboard. In fact, Hummel’s influence lived on through his own tutoring efforts. He wrote an influential book on the subject of piano and instructed a man who would himself go on to teach Franz Liszt, perhaps the greatest pianist of all time.

Aristotle (tutoring Alexander the Great)

When your father is the King of Macedonia, you receive the best instruction. It just so happened that Alexander the Great lived in the same time and place as one of the world’s most famous instructors of all time, the philosopher Aristotle.

Aristotle, himself a student of Plato’s, taught Alexander about philosophy, religion, art, literature, and a number of other subjects. Aristotle’s influence was so strong on the young man that in later years, Alexander would keep his copy of The Iliad, gifted to him by Aristotle, close to him at all times.

Alphonso Taft (tutoring many, including William Howard Taft)

Alphonso Taft learned how to impart knowledge and wisdom while serving as a tutor at Yale. He would later use his influential approach to found a political dynasty that included William Howard Taft, who served both as president and later as the Chief Justice of the United States.

Taft either learned patience through tutoring or found that his character was uniquely suited to tutoring, as he developed a reputation for high character and integrity, even after going on to serve in political office in the Grant administration.

Bertha Flowers (tutoring Maya Angelou)

The world may never have experienced the voice of Maya Angelou if a neighborhood tutor and teacher by the name of Bertha Flowers hadn’t come over to personally read to Angelou, igniting the future poet’s love of the spoken and written word. Maya Angelou would go on to repay this personal care and attention by taking on students herself.

Why Everyone Can Use a Quality Test Prep Tutor

In all of the examples above, we find a simple fact: even the greats needed to seek out tutors and teachers in order to build their skills. In short, none of us are above needing help at some point.

If you’re interested in private test prep tutoring for your child, consider our experienced test prep tutors. Not only do they have the patience and skill to provide important knowledge for the student in your life, but they deliver tangible results. Our students often see a jump of 100-300 points on the SAT and 2-5 points on the ACT. Book your test prep tutoring sessions today!

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