Tutoring Do’s & Don’ts***
< 15 minutes
< 15 minutes
The tutor knows and understands the expected behaviors and practices of the tutorial program and her/his specific operating procedures as well as practices and behaviors that are considered both appropriate and inappropriate for her/his position.
The tutor exhibits appropriate protocol and behaviors in terms of job duties; responsibilities; policies and procedures.
As you begin working as a tutor, you will learn that tutoring is different than helping a friend or family member. The tutor’s main responsibility is to help students become independent learners.
While it may be tempting to tell students an answer or correct errors for them, students really need to understand the "how and why" of each concept in order to truly master the course material. This approach takes time and patience--from both the tutor and the student--and it can sometimes be frustrating. Effective tutoring requires a high level of professionalism and consistent adherence to ethical standards.
Below are some basic tutoring guidelines—the do’s and don’ts of tutoring—to help you learn how to tutor effectively.
Leave your ego at the door
Introduce yourself
Smile
Observe
Encourage students to think about their own work
Treat all students equitably
Try a new approach
Make a student feel relaxed
Listen more than you talk
Present yourself as a peer
Find out a student’s needs
Give examples
Have students read aloud
Clarify
Show students how to help themselves
Show students how to apply new concepts
Help students differentiate between their work and themselves
Let the students lead
Use the conference sheet as a tool (if applicable)
Empower your students
Affirm
Put yourself in their shoes
Sit side by side
Ask questions
Focus on strengths/goals
Focus on one skill to improve at a time
Assess student progress through practice
Help students find solutions
Teach lessons that transcend the immediate session
Encourage return visits and make them want to come back
Give positive feedback
Encourage group tutoring
Model positive behavior
Act professionally
Use resources
Monopolize the session
Discuss instructors or grades
Use a red pen
Insult a student’s intelligence
Let the student off too easy
Focus only on what’s wrong
Give away all the answers
Jump to conclusions
Act like you’re the authority
Discourage a student
Condescend
Talk down to students
Talk “over a student’s head”
Shy away from obvious problems
Overwhelm the student
Falsely praise
Shut a student down
Try to cover everything
Change their ideas
Frown
Blame others
Get too comfortable
Judge
Cross Boundaries
Let students believe typical learning myths
Give up
Ignore a student’s request for help
Become involved in personal lives
Take the easy way out
Let a student leave feeling helpless
Get lazy