Tutoring isn’t just about “getting through homework” or “fixing mistakes”. It is about helping student’s build skills, confidence and a genuine love of learning. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by incorporating a student’s own interests into the session. When learning is tied to something a child already enjoys such as sports, music, art or gaming it immediately becomes more engaging, relevant and motivating.

Unlike a classroom setting, tutoring offers the flexibility to tailor lessons to a student’s unqiue needs. With one-on-one attention, tutors can identify strengths and weaknesses, adapt teaching methods and move at a pace that ensures real understanding. Adding a student’s personal interests into this process further enhances engagement, focus and curiosity. This makes lessons feel less like a chore and more like an opportunity to explore ideas.

For example, when working on persuasive writing, student’s can write speeches on topics they are passionate about. Wriritng a speech can feel overwhelming but when it’s about something a child cares about, it becomes exciting. By connecting the task to personal interests, students naturally practise essential skills such as structuring an argument, providing evidence and appealing to an audience.

The result of this approach? Not only do they develop important writing skills, but they also gain confidence in sharing their ideas. When student’s discover that their own interests can be powerful enough to engage and write a meanigful speech, they learn that their voice is worth listening to. This means more than just a tutoring session but becomes something much larger by extending beyond the centre to create a meaningful impact.

Emily Wilcox