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How To Be A Successful Tutor?

A 1-on-1, focussed tutoring session is immensely gratifying for both the tutor and student. On top of this, personalized tutoring fulfills a niche that some schools can’t deliver. This is because tutoring gets to the heart of learning, tailoring the instruction of the subject at hand. With demands for private tutoring on the rise, students are not merely looking for occasional, one-time tutoring sessions to help them as questions come up, but they want to establish long-lasting relationships with tutors who speak a common language and can connect on an emotional level. So, if you’re a tutor looking to maintain a good rapport with your existing students and extend your reach to prospects, here are some useful tips to help you help others. Also, feel free to checkout our new ultimate guide on starting a successful tutoring business.

Craftsmanship

If you say you’re an expert in thermodynamics or real analysis or playing the ukulele, then show it. Know the subject’s concepts, ideas and problems inside out, and be able to apply it to the real world to help your students understand its relevance and importance. In fact, students are more engaged and committed when their tutors make learning relevant to their interests. Also, having a detailed and structured syllabus will help both you and your students stay on track. And always make sure you explain to students why you chose or created the material that you did. 

Human connection

First, be a good listener – or better yet, an active listener – and you will be a good tutor. Ask your students questions to confirm what their intentions are or what they are trying to convey. Simple questions give students an opening to correct any misunderstanding and shows respect for their feelings and perspective. Second, building personal relationships with your students will contribute greatly to student success. The more you create trust and respect – which are essential aspects for students to learn well – the more connected your students feel to you. Once you get to know your students well, you will be able to truly personalize their learning, teach to their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. 

Resourcefulness

Having tried-and-true resources on hand will help you create effective lessons and find alternative (or even creative) ways to answer your students’ questions. Also, being resourceful means that if one learning technique doesn’t work, you’re quick to make adjustments and try new methods until one works for your students.


At TutorOcean, we put our users first. For tutors, you enjoy the flexibility to teach when you want and charge as you wish. On top of that, our platform allows you to choose the logistics of your lessons such as date, time, location, and more. Sign up for free as a tutor today!

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TutorOcean is a global marketplace where learners and tutors connect. Through its intuitive and integrated online classroom, tutors are able to cultivate the internal motivation and potential of learners, and thus help them achieve their goals. It's a place where the connection is made instantly, knowledge is shared and acquired in real-time, and community is created while breaking geographical boundaries.