Working with young people: Your job entails dealing with young people and as you already know, these age groups are very impressionable. You should always remember that you were once like them, so being discreet when dealing with them could be quite helpful. Be a good role model: Know that someone is under your care and manage every situation appropriately.
That First impression lasts: First impression is the last impression. Image is a brand that is difficult to build hence your attitude matters a lot. Report anything that might affect the progress of your work or the expected and desired performance of your prospective student before it becomes too late. Keep records of your work and encourage your students to keep records of their works.
Be positive: Tutoring entails a lot interest, passion, motivation, confidence, dedication, patience and determination, etc. It is what you give that you get. As you are teaching, you are also learning. If you’ve not shown interest that you believe in what you are teaching, you will be passing off such negative energies to your students. They will also not show interest. If you’ve not shown patience, they wouldn’t learn to be patient. If you are not confident, they will not be confident about what you’ve told them. Avoid passing off such negative mental attitudes. Be passionate about what you do. Have that job satisfaction. Be happy. That’s even a greater reward.
Be methodical: You should be capable of figuring out the most suitable technique or method to transfer knowledge. This could entail the use of analogies, pictures, stories, life experiences, etc. It is one thing to know it; it is a different thing to figure out a way to pass it on. Be meticulous. So it is not only about 2+2=4; or a verb being an action word. Show them verb in action and why 2+2 is not 22. Leave an indelible mark on their memory. Let them remember you for what you taught them. Be like your college Maths tutor who taught you that topic that you always remember. Be proactive.
Make learning interesting: Learning should be an interesting activity. Seeing their faces brimming with smiles could be rewarding. Don’t make it boring. Study their body language. You were once like them. Know when to soft-pedal or apply brake. Change gear and bring new life to the engine of knowledge. You could change the subject of discussion to resuscitate interest. Tell a story. Say something funny. They can as well learn something from your story. It is part of the learning process. Excite their minds. Then, get them back to track. Yes, you can and they will. Let your sessions be interactive. You are not a preacher. Let the student say something. You can as well learn something from them and from what they say; you can as well take it from there. Let them say their mind so that you know how they think or how they feel about it. This will also help you to help them further. Motivate them to say something even when they say they do not know what to say. It might be that they are not confident about voicing out their opinions. Sharpen their intellect. Arouse their interest. Make them reason differently. Increase their confidence limit and always commend them for any little attempt or suggestion made. This is very important. You did be helping them a lot.
Know something different: Having a wide range of knowledge could be rewarding. That will help to beef up your confidence limit. That you are a teacher of Mathematics does not mean you should not know something in History. Every little helps. Learn something new and different today. Be liberal. Do not have a parochial attitude towards learning. You are not just going there to teach your student about X-factor, you should know something about the Y-axis. What of if she asks you something apart from what you are teaching her? As a tutor, you are expected to know a lot. Live up to your expectation and gain that respect. Education is about being exposed to a wide range of experiences. Open their minds to new ideas. Interact. Integrate.
Learn to communicate: Mind your language. Learn to communicate impeccably. Avoid the use of slangs and jargons. If you must use it for any reason, be cautious. Make use of discreet euphemisms. Why say: he is a poor student when you could easily say that he is trying his best. Words are like swords. Don’t kill someone’s spirit with your poisonous tongue. Avoid hurting someone with your remarks. If you have problem with being fluent, speak gently. This will give you the ample time to think of what to say next. As you speak more, you will become fluent.
Be more interactive: Parents want to know the type of person teaching their wards, so do not be scared to be engaged in a meaningful discussion. Have something to say. Do not just sit there listening without contributing something. Show that you know something different. Talk with every confidence. Avoid such familiarity which breeds contempt. Relate well.
Ask questions: Do not put yourself in a tight position. Always ask questions if you are not so sure of what you are doing or of what you are about to do. If you do not know it, take time to research more on it or to know more about it. It is better than passing the wrong information to your students. Avoid this professional suicide or as well academic poisoning. Retreat, research and report. If you are having problems with preparing your lesson note or even how to communicate your ideas, ask a member of your team for assistance.
Expect challenges: Expect challenging questions. While preparing for each session, you should be able to envisage the type of questions your student might ask you. If you are challenged, you will be prepared the next time but do not expose yourself to unnecessary embarrassment. Be prepared before stepping out there. You might meet that student that knows a lot or that student that simply wants to find out if you can really prove your mettle. As a tutor, no particular day could be the same. This will also help to expose you to a wide range of experiences, enabling you to improve on your teaching skills. Do not shy away from answering questions. If they do not ask questions, do well to ask them questions. Do not assume that they know. Find out first. It is your duty.
Be prepared to deliver: Be prepared for a new challenge. While on that train or while taking that walk, think of how best to communicate those ideas that you’ve researched. It’s not only about knowing it but also being able to transfer it. Do not turn yourself into a laughing stock. To teach you need to learn. Do thorough research on each topic. It is learn-as-you-teach. Know what you are supposed to teach them and to what level they should know. This is to avoid giving unnecessary information that they might not need. The national curriculum is easily accessible and will be quite useful for you. Show that you have that can-do attitude. Do not always wait to be told everything as you will end up not knowing anything or very little. It’s just a few clicks away.
Make knowledge work: It is not only about solving problems alone. Avoid creating further problems for your students. Show them that the knowledge they have works. Give them assignments to try out what they’ve learnt. Let them practise during sessions while you observe them. Let them know the different ways to go about a problem. Always give them the opportunity to choose which method that is most suitable for them. Make it simple. If complex, find a way to break it down- the clearer, the better. Use your Occam Razor.
Learn to earn: Learning is intrinsically tied to earning. You cannot earn if you do not learn. Learn to earn your respect and reward as a teacher. If you have to earn it, you must learn on. Personal development is vital for this job. Let them know that what you know runs through your veins. Right knowledge, right Attitude. That’s it
Matthias Ifejika
Private Educator at Leanon.
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