I'm a tutor and I would like some ideas to help students improve their grades?

Question

I would like to improve my tutoring skills and get the students more motivated about raising their grades. Is there any advice or ideas I could get to help them?

Answer 1

I always ask the school for a copy of their curriculum, so I know exactly what is going to be covered.

Also, try to make a personal connection with the students. They will appreciate you and will look forward to seeing you.

Try to tie what they are learning to their everyday lives. For example, if the student is studying how to count money, and you know he collects baseball cards, make word problems that involves buying and selling baseball cards. It makes the material relevant to the student and helps them learn better.

Answer 2

Some points mentioned by others earlier are good: personalizing for each student's learning style, engage the student in cirriculum, provide positive reinforcement, make the subject relevant.

The thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is goal-setting, both long-term and short-term. You need to partner with them to help them set a goal. If they can set their own goals, that's excellent but you'll probably need to coach a little at first. You'll need short-term goals along the way to make the long-term goal (get an A or B) seem less daunting. They'll act as checkpoints along the way (get an 80% on a quiz, get an 85% or higher on 3 straight tests, complete every homework assignment for the Quarter). Then reward completion of the goal. Of course, the prize or reward needs to match up with the goal- it should be equally as fun as the goal was challenging. You'll be surprised at how much progress students can make when they know what they're working for and have smaller goals along the way.

Also, include the parents in on the goals even though they will be the students responsibility. They're with them far more often than you and if they can reinforce the goals, you'll be in great shape. However if they aren't included and don't reinforce the goals at home, you'll make no progress with their students. Sample goals including the parent: Have your Mom/Dad sign every completed piece of HW for one month, after every tutoring session share at least 1 thing you learned with Mom/Dad, or student organizes family reading night once per week in the home.

Good luck and be patient. Sometimes, you'll be the only one that hasn't given up on this student!

Answer 3

Children learn in many different ways. Some like to read and learn, others like hands-on activities. Computer games are always an option--many good educatioal programs out there. You absolutely must find out what the child is interested in and use it. For example, if a child really likes baseball and your working on percentages...have him figure out batting averages, if your working on distances, have hime add together the distances from home to first,second, third, and back home... The whole key is to use something that you know the child enjoys beyond the regular school setting.

Answer 4

Well, I'm a kid in school. When I am not motivated in a certain class, such as math, I twist around problems and make them my own. For example, if a math problem is talking about mixing cement with different amounts of water,( which I find these problems very boring!), I change the problem to make it interesting to me. Like mixing delicious pancake batter with different amounts of milk. I love to cook, so now I am actually interested in answering the problem. You could teach your students to do this and they would always be interested in what they were working on. I hope this information helps.
-Bailey

Answer 5

ok well im 13
if i had a tutor first of all i would like to create a bond with them
u know become friends
that way i will feel comfortable
also i would like for my tutor to make learning fun that way i am motivated to learn and pay attention to u
also students love being praised when doing good on a test or answering a difficult question correctly
i hope i helped
GOOD LUCK

Answer 6

i tutor some of my sisters friends in math.. and this is what i have found to be most effective..

look at what they are learning and make up your own problems using the same concept... they dont like to do things out of books and stuff... it works better if they are things with like their names in it and stuff...

also.. make charts... let them study it and it will become almost a reflex.. for example... on little girl was trying to figure out from word problems which inequality to use ((greater than or less than)) so i made a chart that said if the wording said at least.. use greater than or equal to.. etc...

lastly... dont try to act smarter and superior... they automatically stop listening if you do this.. also dont try to "move on" or teach them things they "wont have to know till later" because then they see it as a waste of time.. just focus on what they need to know for the next couple of days and no more!!

hope this helps!!

Answer 7

let them know that what they achieve is going to be their grade for the rest of their lives. And also tell them that their grade is theirs, and theirs only. It doesn't matter what their friends got, as it is them that will get the grades, and who can be proud of them. Offer lots of encouragement, and get to know the personalities of your students, everybody learns in different ways-what works for one student might not work for another.

Answer 8

Make learning fun.
Turn it into a game or a competition between another student.

Answer 9

I find the easiest way is make sure you do all your homework, and ask for help teachers can be pretty flexible when it comes to students out do to illnesses..

Answer 10

yes give them past papers to solve and this can give them a strength and encourage the to achieve good grades