Five Tutoring Tips For Recent Graduates

Robert Lomax is a teacher and author. He writes about education at RSL Educational.

Whatever job you dream of, there’s a fair chance that you’ll find yourself doing a few other things along the way.

One of the most common “along the way” jobs, particularly in London, is private tuition. It’s something that I started doing when I was a postgrad, just to keep the wolf from my door.
I enjoyed teaching so much that I’m still doing it now.

I’ve always had fun during my time as a teacher, but there are a few things that I wish I’d known when I started: things which would have made my work less stressful and more successful, and which I only discovered through making mistakes.

I add more detail to some of these ideas in this article.

1. Never stop making mistakes

The natural instinct for any teacher is to be terrified of mistakes: you think that you need to be infallible, or you will lose your students’ respect.

This could not be more wrong.

Once children realise that their teacher is just as able to make a fool of themselves as they are, they discover that there isn’t a great wall standing between their state of ignorance and your adult knowledge: a wall they will have to fling themselves against for years before smashing through.

Instead, they learn that it is possible to be a successful adult and still get things wrong. This is a tremendous motivation.

On the one hand, the belief that anything short of perfection is a kind of failure can make children feel like giving up.

On the other hand, a more skilful, more interesting version of their own imperfection can seem like a thing worth aiming for.

Of course, if you are going to make mistakes, at least make sure that you …

2. Always show your thought process

The greatest gift that a teacher can give a child is not their expertise. A book will be able to offer the same information, and Youtube probably does too.

The most important thing you have to offer is your way of thinking.

Let your students see your mind in action! Let them explore your thought patterns, challenge them and copy them.

One of the very best ways to do this is to work alongside your student. Rather than setting them a task and reading the newspaper for ten minutes, do the same work as them, at the same time.

When you compare your answers – perhaps even marking each other’s responses – they will be inspired by the things that you do better.

What’s more, on the rare occasions when they do something more effectively than you, it will be as motivating as any other experience in their school career.

3. Don’t promise results

There are no “supertutors” – just teachers, some of them with a few more tricks than others, and some with a better instinct for relating to children. Nobody knows the magic key which can ensure a particular outcome for a child.

Promise to do your best, but be honest: don’t offer guarantees. In the end, only your student has the power to achieve what they want to.

4. Be prepared to walk away

Sometimes you won’t be the best teacher for a student you’re working with. If you start to realise this, don’t panic and struggle against it. It happens to all tutors sometimes, however experienced they are.

Tell the child’s parents, explaining things clearly. You might offer to help them through the transition to a new tutor. In almost every case, they will be grateful for your honesty.

Very rarely, you will need to end your relationship with a client because they treat you poorly and make your life difficult. Don’t feel guilty about declining further work from them, and don’t feel trapped by a sense of obligation to their child. There are plenty more tutors out there.

Whatever the reason, never let things drag on miserably. It’s no good for you or your student.

5. Communicate!

From the outset, talk to your clients! There are very few difficulties which can’t be managed well if you already have an effective pattern of communication.

What’s more, parents are most likely to worry about their children’s education if they don’t know what’s going on.

When you start working with a new family, send the parents frequent emails. Remind them what homework you have set. Perhaps send a weekly update, highlighting their child’s strengths and explaining where you are seeking improvement. If your student has done something especially good, let their parents know and encourage them to echo your own congratulations.

After a few weeks, you’ll probably find that you can reduce your level of communication. When a client understands your approach and feels able to trust you, you will have the freedom to do your very best teaching.

Robert Lomax is a teacher and author. He writes about education at RSL Educational