The goal of tutoring is to provide students with a supplemental approach to their regular learning, so it’s always encouraged to think outside the box! Here’s how to make your tutoring sessions fun and memorable.
Both parents and tutors can contribute to making tutoring sessions productive, focused, and most importantly – fun!
How can parents make tutoring sessions fun?
Do everything possible to keep the focus of the tutoring session on – the tutoring session! One of the primary reasons students have difficulties in school is due to distractions during class time. It’s difficult to control what happens in the classroom, but at home, it’s a different story!
Arrange for tutoring sessions to take place in a quiet area of your home that is free from distractions. Family members or siblings watching TV or using electronic devices in the same room are an inherent distraction. Older students should keep their phones in another room – they will have no use for them during a tutoring session (unless specifically planned for an activity).
- Tutor Doctor Tip: How to Increase Your Child’s Attention Span
Another thing to keep in mind is that nutrition has a huge impact on a student’s attention span. Because tutoring sessions commonly happen after school, students will almost universally benefit from a healthy snack prior to beginning a tutoring session.
Lastly, keep hydrated! It’s a good idea to provide water, milk, or juice during sessions, and it’s also one less reason for your student to get up mid-session.
To learn more about the importance of nutrition in education, check out our blog on the topic!
How can tutors make sessions fun?
Mix it up! In a traditional classroom environment, teachers have a set curriculum that needs to be covered throughout the school year. They also have to teach thirty (or more) students simultaneously, which unfortunately limits the scope of “hands-on” activities in the classroom. One-to-one tutoring, on the other hand, offers a lot more flexibility in this regard!
We encourage tutors to make sessions memorable by trying new instructional methods and introducing variation in their approach. For instance, many students enjoy using interactive apps on a tablet or laptop as part of a session. Electronic devices, when used in the proper context, can be highly beneficial to the learning process. Click here for some creative ways to make screen time productive!
Another great option is to organize learning activities that help illustrate concepts the student is currently learning in school. This is commonly done with early math subjects, like fractions or division, as students often have difficulties understanding these concepts until they can “see” them visually.
Parents and tutors can also work together to organize fun activities.
Younger students always get a blast out of science experiments, and tutoring sessions can be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate STEM concepts in a creative and engaging way. Check out these awesome science experiments you can try at home!
The best part about one-to-one tutoring is the ability to cater sessions to an individual student’s needs and interests. We encourage tutors to collaborate with families to plan special educational activities with their students that will enhance the learning process!