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What does it take to be a good tutor?

A simple question of what makes a great tutor can be answered in a number of ways. It takes technical knowledge, a warm demeanour and an air of respect in order to be successful in this line of work.

If you are just starting your career in tutoring, want to know how to improve your style or are a parent looking for your child’s tutor, here are a few areas to look out for. Someone who meets these four points is sure to be an excellent tutor and will allow their students to thrive under their tuition.

Has a compassionate and patient nature

This may seem obvious but everyone has a story of an encounter with a terrifying teacher from their childhood. The one all the pupils were scared of, would lose patience at the drop of a hat and generally seemed to detest their students.

Examples of a bad teaching style stay with you and so it is important, as a tutor, to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

Students are far more likely to succeed when they have a tutor who genuinely cares about them and wants them to do well. This is why a great tutor is patient enough to be able to explain complicated concepts two, three, maybe even more times to their students.

Communicates with parents

When hiring a tutor, many parents want someone who will not only be a good influence on their child but will be there to pass on any changes and concerns to them. By keeping this open line of communication will put them at ease and will allow them to work together to create a rounded education experience.

If, as a tutor, you find that your student is particularly struggling with a certain part of their studies, mention it to their parents and perhaps they can go over it in the time you are not there. That way the education does not end once your time is up.

Pays attention to learning styles

Good tutors understand that not every student will learn in the same way and so they will need to adapt their teaching style in order to meet individual needs. Arts Council England outlines that there are six different types of learners, they are:

1. Kinesthetic learners - Using the body and movement to remember information. These learners enjoy using their hands to build, use interactive exhibits and love to use computers.
2. Logical learners - Logical learners are good at problem-solving and can easily sense patterns in everyday activities.
3. Intrapersonal learners - These learners are self-motivated and able to spend long periods of time by themselves in order to develop their own thoughts.
4. Visual and spatial learners - They have good visual recall and learn best through images, graphs and video.
5. Interpersonal learners - Unlike intrapersonal, interpersonal learners thrive in public settings where they can bounce their ideas off other people.
6. Naturalistic learners - Like the name suggests, these learners like to be out in nature and enjoy spaces that are airy and full of light.

By taking these different learning styles and needs into account, a good tutor will be able to ensure their pupils take in the information and apply it to their everyday lives.