How To Become A Great Tutor

Top 6 Tips for Being a Great Tutor

1. Have a sense of humour – A sense of humour can help to relieve any tension in a session. It is especially helpful when tutoring learners who are shy and reluctant to learn or to participate. A sense of humour will also ‘lighten’ the mood, making your lesson more fun, give the feelings of going by quicker, and most importantly, memorable. The more memorable the lesson, the more memorable the content learnt!
2. A positive attitude – Sometimes nerves may rear their ugly head and stress out learners. Stress can result in feelings of inadequacy and a lack of motivation. Times like this require you to be the motivation, encouragement and sense of positivity!
3. Realistic expectations – An effective tutor will have realistic expectations. Your expectations need to be based on each learner’s individual situation and needs. It is important to set goals that are not too high or too low. Too low expectations can make your learner feel like you don’t believe them or to be lazy while too high expectation can place too much pressure on your learner.
4. Consistence – In order to create a positive learning environment your students should know what to expect from you each session. You need to be reliable. This will create a safe learning environment for the students and they will be more likely to succeed.
5. Fairness – A fair tutor is consistent, encouraging and sets realistic goals. A fair tutor will not teach in a hostile or confrontational environment. Instead, he or she will be encouraging when tutoring as well as when providing adequate and helpful feedback.
6. Flexibility – While consistency is important, it is important to remember that anything can happen and problems may arise at any moment. Interruptions do happen and so a flexible attitude is important when assigning homework tasks and goals.

To read more about being a great tutor, check out our Ultimate Guide on Tutoring!

Problems Facing First-Time Tutees

• Many learners may be nervous when learning in a one-on-one environment for the first time. Learners may find it hard to communicate how they feel or what exactly they may be struggling to understand. Your job is to create a positive environment that your learner feels comfortable in.
• Not all learners have received much encouragement with their studies and so might feel doubtful of their potential. It is important that you, as a tutor, take the time to sit down with your learner and set realistic goals.
• Some learners may struggle to see their tutor as more than an assessor. This is a difficult view to overcome, especially if you are helping your learner study towards an exam. The key is to be open, friendly, and to encourage the learner’s self-assurance so make your style of tutoring non-confrontational.
• Sometimes you may forget or overlook when a learner may feel obliged to defer to you. This could be because learners are not used to feeling on the spot in a one-on-one environment. A good tutor will notice any such feelings and adjust their tutoring habits accordingly. Tutors should NOT be the only ones speaking during a session. Instead, tutors need to encourage learners to express their own opinions and establish an open dialogue. This will build your learner’s confidence, to encourage them to think independently and will help you (as a tutor) to understand what your learner may have difficulty communicating.

No matter the problem that you or your learner may face, it is vital to be patient with them, and to build their confidence through reassurance and praise. Your ultimate goal is to help your learner become comfortable and assured in the subject, even if they occasionally make mistakes.

Encouraging tutees to contribute

Learners are more likely to engage when:

• They feel comfortable around you
• You show them respect and encouragement, ESPECIALLY when they make mistakes
• Learning is seen as a co-operative exercise, not a militant one
• You both agree upon realistic and attainable tasks
• They are encouraged to contribute their own feelings and are not just lectured to
• Feedback is common so miscommunication does not occur
• Avoid giving answers to unresponsive or shy. Rather frame your questions in a different way
• They are presented with open-ended questions that encourages independent thought

When directing discussions it is important to think about and remember to:

• Give regular feedback that is supportive and constructive
• To provide corrections in a non-confrontational or hostile way
• Praise good work and emphasise work done well rather than work done badly
• Be friendly!
• Balance tutor and learner contributions
• Encourage quiet learners, but take care not to overpower them

Closing lessons – To determine how your learner feels about lesson progression, ask open-ended questions such as:

• What has been the most significant thing you have learned today?
• Do you have any questions after today’s lesson?
• Discuss homework that you have given and make sure your learner is able to tackle it with understanding
• Make a self-evaluation checklist. This can help you be the best tutor you can be and to stay on point!

If you would like a tutor of your own please get in touch today!

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