Being a great tutor isn't just about knowing the content that we teach, it’s about knowing how to connect, adapt and ultimately build our student’s confidence. After a long day of school, it’s important that our students are well engaged during tutoring and are actively learning. These are some useful methods to use as a tutor:
Active Recall
According to my research, the biggest trap a lot of tutors fall into is doing all the talking. If you spend 45 minutes explaining a concept while your student nods along, you are testing your knowledge, not theirs. Instead, active recall techniques such as Feynman Technique, encourages students to recall the information they just learnt. To do this we explain a concept briefly and then ask the student to teach it back to you in their own words as if they were explaining it to a child. In this way, you’re testing how well they have understood your teaching, and thus what gaps you can help fill!
Thinking Aloud
When working through complex problems, we should strive to demonstrate the internal monologue of an expert problem-solver. By doing so, we help logically justify the sequence in which we tackle these questions. Saying things like, "When I look at this equation, the first clue I see is X, which tells me I need to try Y". Then, hand the marker back and ask them to talk through their thoughts out loud as they attempt the next problem. By hearing their thought process, we are able to pinpoint exactly where their logic derails.
Build a Growth Mindset Framework
Many students seek tutoring because they feel defeated by a subject. This leads back to my point of building self-confidence. If a student says, "I'm just not good at Business Studies," challenge that script immediately. I believe we should focus praise on their effort and strategy rather than inherent intelligence, emphasising enjoying the journey rather than hyperfixating on the destination. As such, this can help reframe their perception on a feeling of growth, rather than anxiety on where they are stuck.
