Teaching and coaching one-on-one can be extremely rewarding, both for the teacher and the student. It allows the teacher to be completely focused on the needs of one learner, rather than having to accommodate the different learning needs of a group. Here are some tips for successful one-on-one teaching.
Enthusiasm - Always be enthusiastic and full of energy when you are spending time with a student. Whether your student is an adult or a child, they will respond to your energy and the lesson will go accordingly. Your enthusiasm will allow the student to make mistakes with confidence, so that they can be corrected.
Understanding - Understand the needs of the student you are with. Knowing whether your student is primarily visual, kinesthetic or auditory will allow you to adapt your teaching method and materials to the specific needs of the student. When you are teaching to the primary learning style of your student, they will grasp the material more easily, and you are less likely to have to re-teach the concept the following week.
Creativity - Be creative in the teaching strategies you use. If the student comes to you daily or weekly, creative teaching methods will help to maintain their interest in the subject and your enthusiasm for the class. Your creativity will encourage the student to put forward their own ideas and be creative too.
Organization - Be organized and prepared for the lesson. At the beginning of the lesson, discuss specific goals and objectives for the lesson, so that both you and your student experience a sense of achievement at the end. Tasks set for the following lesson should reinforce the concepts covered, or pre-assess knowledge of the next topic. When you are organised and clear about your objectives, take home tasks are easier to plan.
Focus - It is vital to remain focused on the task at hand throughout the lesson. If you allow yourself to become distracted, the student will become distracted too. However, don’t be afraid to leave the student time to think or plan during the lesson. Your one-on-one time allows a flexible goal schedule, so use it to encourage self-directed learning and assessment.
Feedback - Always provide feedback at the end of the lesson, even if the task is not complete. It always helps if feedback is presented in a positive manner, particularly with children, as it will encourage them to look forward to their next session with you. If they are looking forward to the next session, they will find it easier to get any take home tasks done.
All of the above factors help to create a positive and personal relationship between teacher and student. For those, like me, who make the jump from classroom coaching to one-on-one teaching, this is the best reward of all.
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"Aerodynamically, the Bumble Bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the Bumble Bee doesn't know that, so it goes on flying anyway."
Students love one on one. Everyone needs to feel special and cared for by an individual. Many people learn best from a personal touch.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe one on one tutoring with a student in need is mandatory for teachers.I know time plays an important factor in getting to all the students, but if you include these steps from the beginning of school, the students begin to understand this tutoring process and a lot can be accomplished in a 7-10 minute tutoring session!! Feedback is so important. I see teachers pass out tests or completed and graded work, yet never allow the student to learn why they missed what they missed. To me, it all goes back to planning and setting a routine for your students. They are on board if you are on board. :)
ReplyDeleteI am planning on implementing this personalized form of tutoring upon returning to the classroom. Thanks for the insights Ms. Parker and Ms. Hollis...words of wisdom!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Tutoring does allow for special attention and a lot of fun. I love to warm up a tutoring period with a game. Hopefully I will get a more consistant group of students.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe that the best way our country can improve education is to reduce class sizes and decrease the student to teacher ratio, working one-on-one with a student reduces this ratio to the lowest possible degree, maximizing effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteNice perspective on tutoring. It gives extra time for a teacher to teach a concept and extra time to the student. I think these guidelines put a positive spin on tutoring.
ReplyDeleteI believe tutoring students with enthusiasm is key to making a connection. Plus, it helps to build confidence in them and ultimately, an initiative and eagerness for advancement in their studies.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to tell a student they need tutoring in a positive way to begin with. Having a one-on-one session to start off their tutoring gives the teacher a better understanding of their weaknesses, builds a stronger teacher-student relationship and eases the student into tutoring sessions with other students. It helps to lessen any anxiety they have about needing extra help and asking questions.
ReplyDeleteBeing positive, making the environment fun, welcoming and encouraging is so important. Tutoring is rewarding when you know students believe in what you teach them. Sometimes, they might get off task for a moment or more. Lead them back into the routine by relating the subject of what they need help in to what they are talking about. If they have confidence in you as an educator, they will listen.
ReplyDeleteEncouragement and esteem building goes hand in hand with this. I find in tutoring that many students think they can not get it. The truth is that they might just need to see it in a new way. It is important to teach the same thing in many different way so that the majority of students have an opportunity to grasp the content. I often find in tutoring that it is simply one thing that is a stumbling block. Once jump however they are on their was to success.
ReplyDeleteI think using google docs is one of the best one on one tutoring tools I have come across. I can work with students privately in the middle of class helping them with essays and projects as long as they have shared the project with me. I have even tutored on of my students from home using google docs.
ReplyDeleteWhen tutoring, I feel that students respond well when they feel safe. Safe in the matter that their answers will not be wrong or they will not be ridiculed. Children need to feel important and will respond better when the concept is centered around their interest. When the tutor reacts positively to the student by positive feedback the student is successful.
ReplyDeleteWhile reflecting on the progress levels of my classes by section, it has amazed me how my smallest section is always ahead, has a firm grasp on the material, and performs well on all exams. I recently implemented mandatory tutoring, and the students that actually attend are also doing well. The power of one on one instruction should never be underestimated and should therefore always be thoroughly planned to benefit every participating student. Two study tools that have been working well for my students, and their selective memories, are the use of a class created review poster and foldables. My student's exam grades improved by 10 points on average once we started doing this. I grabbed some butcher paper and had the students write down helpful notes, pictures, diagrams, information missed on the last exam, and any memory tools. Before an exam we'll pull them out for review, or as we gain students through out the year, I use them in tutoring to catch them up. Foldables are awesome! It allows the student to customize the lesson to a way they understand it. It's a great tool because they are portable, so the students can study them whenever they have time. These have been key tools in my tool box, please feel free to experiment with them.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to your comment, "Understanding - Understand the needs of the student you are with. Knowing whether your student is primarily visual, kinesthetic or auditory will allow you to adapt your teaching method and materials to the specific needs of the student. When you are teaching to the primary learning style of your student, they will grasp the material more easily, and you are less likely to have to re-teach the concept the following week."
ReplyDeleteWhat an important thing when teaching at our school. I was discussing this with Mr. Murphy the other day after a class he witnessed where a girl checked out mentally. We used the ENO Board, Groupwork, you name it, but it wasn't until tutoring where she said she found the class confusing and distracting. Another one of my girls backed it up with the same comment and would not have learned unless I forced the tutoring.
I think on the whole if we use our resources, tech, creativity, and all else we will meet most of the needs of our students. Don't forget to listen thought to the needs of those that still don't see.
Wonderful suggestions for good teaching. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. I plan on utilizing these aspects of tutoring this upcoming semester. Tutoring is a great way to build a childs self-esteem in a particular subject they are struggling in. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteI believe that a child must believe in their self. I also know that this is possible if we are positive during the tutoring session and center the lesson around the child's interest.
ReplyDeleteIn the process of teaching filmmaking, lecture is usually at a minimum. The one on one is the best for the student and frankly is the most enriching for the teacher as well.
ReplyDeleteI really want to encourage to students that tutoring can be fun and easy.
ReplyDeleteAs long as there getting the material down first.
Enthusiasm, I believe is the biggest lack for most teachers! If teachers aren't having fun neither are the students. Students feed off their environment and if they're teacher's energy is not genuinely connected with the student in mind, then that teacher has failed! Reason for this: Teachers needs to have a passion for the subject taught, a passion for nurturing students directly with opportunities unthought of.
ReplyDeleteCreative tutoring will keep our kids wanting to come back again anad again. If you make it fun and give good information tutoring will work good.
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