How to be a good tutor

To be a good tutor, you need to expand your knowledge and education, identify your tutoring objectives, and figure out the needs of your pupils. Here are some details on these strategies and others you can use to be a good tutor:

• Expand your knowledge and education.

As a tutor you should have at least a bachelor's degree, and if you also have an educational degree that is an added bonus. Your expertise and knowledge will be what makes your tutoring services attractive to students and parents.

It's best if you can find a niche to tutor in. Gear your personal knowledge towards STEM subjects which includes

• Science

• Technology

• Engineering

• Math

You might also want to specialize in tutoring for the preparation of a specific type of exam. This also depends on what grade levels you are tutoring.

Regardless, you should reference key study materials, research different tutoring methods, and attend professional development events for tutors.

• Identify your tutoring objectives

To properly assist your pupils, you must first identify the objectives for each. Here are some questions to help you identify the objectives:

• What are the pupil's goals for the end of the term, semester, or period?

• What specific knowledge should your pupil know by the end of a session?

• Are there specific tasks your pupil should be able to perform by the end of a tutoring session?

The amount of knowledge retained by your pupil and the tasks they should be able to perform depends on the grade level you are tutoring.

• Figure out the needs of your pupils

The needs of your pupils depend on if you are introducing new material or reviewing material you have already tutored them on in previous sessions.

Make sure you inform your pupils of what you expect from them so that they can focus on meeting your objectives.

Some pupils might need more attention than others when learning new material or reviewing material that you have previously taught them.

As a tutor, you must make a schedule that accommodates your clientele. Many of your students will be in school during the day, meaning you can only provide your services to them in the late afternoon or evening. Sometimes when tutoring college students, their availability is even more limited.

Tutoring takes a lot of patience. Some students struggle more than others when learning certain subjects or concepts. Coaching your students requires an awareness of their ability level and the patience to keep on helping them when they can't understand something.

Attempt to learn different teaching styles that you can employ in different situations. What works for one student, may not work for another, and so on. It's up to you to figure out the best way to teach and guide your students, so you must remain accountable to that.