Why I don't correct every mistake straight away
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When a student makes a mistake during our tutoring session, the natural response can be to tell them what they did wrong immediately. However, I have found that providing students with a few extra seconds to recognise and correct their mistakes themselves can offer a valuable learning tool.
I have noticed this particularly when tutoring younger students in maths. For example, a student may say that 7 x 4 is 32 with confidence. Rather than immediately saying, "That is incorrect," I I now ask, "How could we check that?". This delay provides the student with an opportunity to reconsider their answer using a strategy they have already learnt and prevents the student from being disheartened.
Often, students can identify the mistake almost immediately. Other times, they might draw groups, skip-count or use another related strategy to work the question out themselves. The most crucial aspect of this process is that the student is doing the thinking themselves rather than waiting for me to simply provide the answer.
This approach can also reveal valuable insight into a student's understanding. If I simply correct 32 to 28, I know the student made an error, but I do not necessarily understand why and how to improve the student's knowledge.
However, allowing students time to correct themselves does not mean leaving them to struggle indefinitely. An important part of tutoring is recognising the difference between productive struggle and genuine confusion. If a student is experimenting with strategies, reconsidering their answer or making progress, give them more time to strengthen their own problem-solving skills. However, if they are repeatedly guessing or becoming increasingly confused, additional support is needed. In these moments, I might break down the question into simpler steps, provide a visual example, or revisit an easier version of the concept before trying again. Knowing when to step back and when to step in helps keep challenges achievable while still encouraging independence.
