Tutor Thoughts: 5 Tips For Tutors To Connect With Students
This week was a huge win for me. I like to start off each tutoring session with “highs and lows,” and, like always, this week my student and I were going over them. When it was my student’s turn to explain what her high and low was, she said that her high was being at my tutoring session! I was so excited because I knew that I was finally making progress.
Having my student share that our sessions were the highlight of her week, shows that I’ve succeeded in my effort in creating a safe place for her to learn and grow in the most fun way possible.
Research suggests that students with a high sense of belonging are happier, healthier, and more engaged learners, and these attributes are linked to better academic outcomes.
Here are 5 fun tips to connect with your student, because forging relationships is essential for learning.
Enthusiasm Is Key!
I try to be overly positive and energetic because I know that it is hard to translate energy over Zoom. One way that I try to be energetic is to have “virtual high fives.” Whenever my student gets an answer right, or I am excited for my student, I say “virtual high five.” I put my hand close to the camera so it actually looked like we were high-fiving. I know that she liked this idea because after she solves a problem, she’ll sometimes say “virtual high five.”
Show & Tell Forms Bonds.
When you're building a relationship with your student, you can share meaningful or fun things with each other during Show and Tell. My student likes to show me pictures that she drew and her favorite stuffed animals; I often show her my own creations! You can also ask Show and Tell questions. For example, “next session, let’s bring our favorite book and talk about it!” I also like to encourage my student by using positive affirmations. It shows that I am invested in them and I want to form a bond.
Ask And Answer Questions.
Over time, my student started to ask me questions about my life. I encourage curiosity and am always looking for chances to connect with her, so I am usually happy to oblige. We like to swap funny or happy stories that happened during the week. I know that creating a safe space for students to ask questions encourages them to be unafraid of being curious and to fuel their desire to learn. Tutors should be encouraging curiosity to help critical thinking and even creativity through questions.
Spirit Days.
Having fun is key to forming a connection with your student. Have them pick a theme for your next session, and dress up! Maybe it can be a funny hair day or wear your clothes backwards day. Little moments like these will be remembered for a lifetime. It gives students something to look forward to, and it helps you to create bonds with your student. It also eases and relaxes the environment.
Involve Students In The Learning Process.
Finally, involving your student in the learning process is so important. One of the best ways to find out what your student needs is to simply ask them what they’re struggling with, what they need to learn more of, and how they like to learn. Students know what they need help with, and even if they don’t, it encourages students to be aware of where they can improve/. Furthermore, including them in the decision-making process will demonstrate that you value their opinions and care about their needs.
Your efforts matter in the long run
With these wins, I want to emphasize that what we are doing is making a difference, and that our efforts really do matter. Taking time out of your week to sit down and help your student is not only improving their performance at school, but also creating a mentor-mentee relationship that will impact your students’ life forever!
Today’s Tutor Thoughts are brought to you by Esther Chung, a volunteer tutor with Step Up Tutoring.
If you’d like to become a volunteer tutor and help students in under-resourced communities, you can apply here.