Something I’ve started to notice in tutoring sessions is how much confidence affects a student’s ability to engage with the content. It’s not always about whether they understand something or not because sometimes they hesitate simply because they’re unsure of themselves.

In one session, I worked with a student who actually had a decent grasp of the material but constantly second guessed their answers. Even when they were correct, they would say things like “this is probably wrong” or look for reassurance before continuing. At first, I found myself jumping in quickly to confirm whether they were right or not, but I realised this might have been reinforcing that uncertainty. Instead, I tried holding back slightly and giving them more space to commit to an answer before responding. I also made a conscious effort to acknowledge their reasoning rather than just the final answer. Over time, they seemed more willing to speak without immediately doubting themselves, which made the session flow more smoothly.

This made me reflect on how tutoring isn’t just about explaining concepts clearly, but also about creating an environment where students feel comfortable taking risks. If a student is too focused on being wrong, they’re less likely to fully engage or attempt more challenging problems.

At the same time, it’s important not to let incorrect understanding go unaddressed. There’s a balance between building confidence and ensuring accuracy, which can be difficult to manage in the moment. To be completely honest, I’m still working on how to best navigate this, particularly in knowing when to step in and when to let the student figure things out independently.

Lily Powell