What Tutoring Is and What Tutoring Is Not
When you think of tutoring, what do you envision? Is what you picture a positive or a negative thought? Maybe you had a personal experience with a tutor and it now impacts how you feel about tutoring for your own child. Maybe you have no idea of what tutoring exactly is, but you know that your child needs a little something extra right now and a tutor may just be what the doctor ordered.
What is tutoring? The dictionary definition describes a tutor as a person who gives individual or small group instruction. Tutoring is an act in which a person provides a structure for another’s learning. When I read this description of tutoring, I picture an instructor standing at a whiteboard; providing a lecture; and then handing out a worksheet to see if the child understood the lecture. I envision this because of my own experiences.
When I first graduated college, I decided to take a job as a tutor. I enjoyed working with students at various grade levels and the exposure to multiple levels of curriculum brought me so much joy as an early educator. After tutoring at various tutoring centers, I realized that although I loved tutoring, my students did not enjoy the experience of tutoring. Their tutoring sessions were filled with me ”teaching” from a scripted curriculum and then assigning workbook pages.
Tutoring is not another hour or two of school. Most children spend 6 hours per day in school. Tutoring should not feel like another hour of an unengaging lecture added to their day. Many of those boring tutoring practices are all the things that I don’t do now as a tutor at IMPACT Learning Tutoring Services.
Tutoring should be engaging. It is an academic lesson filled with games, challenges, interests, and visuals with a focus on academic content. In an effective tutoring session, you hear students explaining their thoughts and reasoning. An effective tutor can identify any misconceptions in these student-led conversations. The validation that a tutoring session was successful is hearing a student say that they had fun in tutoring.
Tutoring is not homework help. Sometimes I get parents that ask if we complete homework with their children. If a student has a question about a tricky math problem, as a tutor we would absolutely work with them to solve that one problem. However, supporting your child with their homework is not the best use of a tutoring session. Tutoring sessions should be planned using assessments, progress monitoring, and session observations. Using that data will increase your child’s growth, not focusing tutoring sessions on homework.
Tutoring is not only for students who are struggling in their academics. This is a myth! Tutoring can benefit all children, regardless of academic level. Being able to work individually with a person who provides structured instruction can be beneficial to any child. Tutoring for one to two hours a week with personalized lessons created to address your child’s strengths; areas of growth; and personal interests is additionally beneficial.
Conclusion
Tutoring should be a positive experience for your child. Find a tutor that builds your child’s confidence and improves their academic concepts. I always suggest looking for a tutor that values relationship-building and values getting to know your child. Let’s be honest, your child is not going to learn from someone that they don’t like.
If you are seeking a tutor for your child, grades K to 5, IMPACT Learning Tutors are currently accepting new students and would love for you to book a FREE tutoring consultation to learn about your child’s academic journey and what we can do to support their growth.
