Study Methods

How to Make the Most of Your Tutoring Time:

A Guide for Students and Their Parents

Some thoughts for our students
A private tutor is someone who can help you with the schoolwork you don’t understand (or can’t seem to get motivated or organized enough to do!). For many kids, having parents help with homework is irritating and frustrating (even though the parents truly mean well). A tutor can help you complete your homework, find fun ways to remember what you’ve learned, and set up better study habits.

But just like taking tennis lessons, the student, the parent, and the atmosphere are as crucial as the coach. Here are some things that will help you get the most out of your session.

Be prepared
An hour really isn’t a very long time, so you can make the most of it by having everything ready to go. Before your tutor arrives:

  • Have your book bag, assignment, books, papers, study guides, and sharpened pencils out on the table where the two of you will study.
  • Make sure the area is cleared off so that you can spread out if needed.
  • Prepare and eat a snack.
  • If you have a test, bring home the books and papers from which you need to study!!!!!

Get your brain focused
These sessions should be as fun as they are productive. But you’ll need to have your brain in gear to get something out of it. Your tutor will have tricks, games (no one is ever too old to play a game), and supplies to help you learn, but not much will happen without your willingness.

You can focus on the session by:

  • paying attention to what your tutor is saying
  • asking questions
  • taking a few seconds to review silently
  • being prepared (from section one)
  • Did we mention asking questions? If you don’t get it, ASK!

Remember to do your part outside of tutoring

Succeeding in school requires more than the limited time your tutor can spend with you. You’ll need to follow through during the other times and:

  • complete any unfinished work
  • study some more using the methods you practiced
  • turn in your finished work! (Pretty much a no-brainer, but many students don’t do this.)

And now, some thoughts for parents

It’s likely that you have hired a tutor because, like many families, children react to the authority figure with irritation and frustration. Make the most of your money by employing these ideas daily.

Positive thoughts, please!

If you hear your child make a good response, praise him or her quickly and genuinely.

If you hear him make a mistake, don’t scold him. Scolding is embarrassing and will likely bring out the very frustration and irritation that we want to relieve.

Positive comments only (unless we’re having a real behavior problem)!

Discipline is important.

As tutors, it’s our job to be direct and control the session, but we can’t discipline your child. You’ll get the most benefit by ensuring he or she remains focused. Stay within earshot and listen for any clues that things have gone awry (“Please come back to your seat.” “I need you to sit still while we do this.”).

Respect your child’s study time

Help your child by promoting a quiet environment while he concentrates.

  • Ask siblings to take their conversations and television time to another part of the house.
  • Prevent younger siblings from taking supplies.
  • Help rambunctious pets be some place else.
  • Turn the phone off in that room.

Feed the brain

Food is the brain’s gasoline and most likely the tank is empty after a day of school.

Provide a snack with protein, fat, and carbohydrates. (apples and peanut butter, ham sandwich)

Have water or juice.

Food and drinks help people relax, so eating during the session is okay if it isn’t a distraction.

Stay away from sugar fixes like candy, cookies, cake, and soda; they can make it difficult for your child to concentrate. If anything, use them as a reward for completing the session well.

Don’t allow tutoring time to be spent on preparing the snack, unless it’s during a brief break.

Break time is not wasted time

Having the discipline to take short breaks and then return promptly is an important study habit to master.

  • Not every moment of the session is going to be 100% focused on schoolwork.
  • If your child seems “burned out,” your tutor might switch to a game, puzzle, or chat time and then return to the assignment.

Express your ideas and concerns

The tutor will review with you—and your child—what they did, what assignments remain unfinished, and what still needs to be reviewed before an upcoming test.

Feel free to ask questions. Remain positive and express concerns with your child’s feelings in mind.

Adolescents especially shut down with criticism; privately discuss serious concerns.