One of the biggest misconceptions that many students have when first starting tutoring is that making mistakes automatically equates to being bad at a subject or topic. In reality, mistakes are one of the most (if not THE most) valuable part of the learning process. As a tutor, I've found that areas where my students make the most mistakes during tutoring is where they tend to be the strongest in exams as it provides them with the opportunity for growth and necessitates revision.
One of the techniques that I use when tutoring is when they make a mistake, I encourage them to step through their thinking and find out where they went wrong themselves. This helps them identify where a misunderstanding has occurred and allows them to figure it out on their own so when the question comes up again, they are more likely to remember the correct way to do it! Taking the time to step through their thought process offers us an opportunity to address the underlying cause of the mistake too, making them more confident to tackle similar questions in the future,
I've also noticed that many students put pressure on themselves to get everything right and become frustrated when it doesnt click for them straight away. That's why i also try to create an environment for them where they feel comfortable to make mistakes and say that they dont understand something.
At the end of the day, no one gets everything right 100% of the time. So what I try to teach my students is that making mistakes is an opportunity for growth and shows where we can improve!
