Tips for Tutors: the Best Techniques of Online Tutoring

"Don't limit your challenges; challenge your limits. Each day we must strive for constant and never ending improvement." -Tony Robbins

We must actively accept challenges with open arms in all things we do. When things are easy, that usually means that nothing worthwhile will come about. Good things don't always come about quickly. Why not? Well, they are usually the result of hard work and consistent effort by all parties involved.

So, do you want to be the master of your domain and be the best tutor you can be? If so, we applaud you because the world needs more dedicated educators to train the next generation of citizens into thinkers and doers.

And although tutoring can be challenging, particularly for those without extensive teaching experience, it is a rewarding and dynamic career that merits specific attention. Also, it's important to state that online tutoring poses problems since you are separated by distance from the student.

But, have no fear, Superprof is here to save the day and introduce new tutors to techniques proven to work and have been recommended by academics who have carefully studied the dynamics of online tutoring.

We believe the research and information we will provide in today's article is fascinating. How's that? We will delve deeper into five techniques to improve online tutoring brought out by Cherie Mazer, who researched this area in her recent paper 'Best Practices in Online Tutoring'.

So, let's start and figure out what her research has to say!

Pre-Assessment of the Student

Sometimes, a new student has difficulty expressing and identifying their academic weaknesses and might not even understand why they require remedial assistance from a professional tutor. Something could be uncovered even if the gold star students and their parents forced them to take online tutoring sessions.

Therefore, during the introductory lesson, the first step should be to understand what a student is capable of and struggles with within an academic setting. A pre-assessment of the pupil can be accomplished using the following two ways:

• Perform a quick test of the syllabus or module curriculum of various subjects such as maths and science to understand where students need help and what they are more comfortable analysing. A practice test allows you, the tutor, to prioritise different subjects over others whilst still making a plan that will enable you to cover other areas that could need work in the future.
• A secondary way of understanding the student's capabilities is to look at different areas of course material to know what they are analysing for homework and during class time. Ask the student to explain what topics and concepts they are studying.

An added suggestion is asking additional questions focusing on each topic's core. For example, if you're looking at mathematics, consider asking which simple equations they remember and which ones they struggle to grasp. For instance, maybe they've forgotten a few of their equations relating to laws of motion and this, in turn, will give you a better idea of the course material that can be analysed during tutoring sessions to make lessons more productive.

Check out these research findings on online tutoring.

Learning Actively Through Guided Coaching

Guiding or coaching students through a learning process is considered the 'gold standard' of effective tutoring. Why is that?

While some impatient students will go to a remedial teacher merely searching for the answers to their specific questions, the best tutors will take the time to explain things. Why's that? Well, to allow their student to come to their conclusions about the answer instead of solely giving them the response.

How does a professional use the technique of active coaching? The following is a list of things educators must keep in mind to guide a student through new information:

• Ask leading questions that merit more of an answer than simply 'yes' or 'no',
• Reiterate the facts that the student expressed so that they can easily recall the answer,
• Try to understand their thought process and ask them additional questions so that you know them effectively,
• Make it a step-by-step process,
• Do not overwhelm the student with too much information from the get-go.

Guiding a student through an essential concept is not only a fantastic way to revise prior knowledge, but it also helps them understand the new steps they should take to understand that concept in the future better.

Any additional suggestions? Of course, there are! When a student comes to you with a question, make them recall the steps they would take to get to a certain point to determine where they got stuck in their understanding. Tutors must strive to comprehend the overall thought process before pushing them further with leading questions.

If you are unsure that the first attempt at guiding them worked, give another example to ensure they fully understand what they need to comprehend to succeed and pass those upcoming exams!

Find out about online learning child safety here.

Working at the Appropriate and Correct Level

As mentioned in today's article, the best tutors understand where their student's problem lies and how they can reach a successful conclusion. Comprehending a problem and knowing the student personally helps the tutor to tailor the solution to their needs.

Using different questions of varying difficulty, you can better help a student and learn to work with them at an appropriate level.

However, your assessment should not stop there – you should be able to take a little time every so often to work out how well they are progressing. Can you move on to something a little more challenging? Should you review things again to ensure they still comprehend the information?

The best tutors regularly gauge how a student is doing, allowing them to control the speed more efficiently so that the pupil doesn't appear lost and can keep up with the information. Remember, you need to make your student understand that there is no failure going back and spending more time on fundamental topics that need more help.

You cannot tackle more complex concepts of the same subject with increasing speed and efficiency if a proper foundation has not been laid.

Before concluding this part, it is essential that you, the tutor, spend time frequently reviewing the understanding of your pupil. If you don't, they will continue to struggle.

Please read our article about how to become effective in online tutoring.

Have Your Student Explain Things

Remember, in school, when a teacher before an exam would say, 'Show you workings?' The same must be communicated to a student when you are their private tutor. Asking students to show their workings will help you understand their thought processes. And, even if the answer isn't spot-on, you can stop them and point out an error which can be corrected together.

By getting them to demonstrate their reasoning and how they got to their answer, you'll help them become more and more confident in showing what they're doing. If they're right, it'll be a self-confidence boost that serves as encouragement. And, if they are wrong, you can point out their errors positively and commend them for their hard work. Both situations are a win-win!

A brilliant suggestion new tutors should apply is to ask your student to explain how they work through their steps. Don't ask for their answer; tell them if it's right or wrong. Request the response at the end of the question. How does that help? Well, this means that you have listened to each step without having them get discouraged about their answer from the start.

Some people use Skype for online tutoring, but are there any risks? Here are some things to remember when using  Skype for online tutoring.

Instructional Explanation

One of the best ways to help reinforce the material is to sit down and go through the material step-by-step. Have them follow your instructions that always remain the same to create a process that can be used time after time.

It is essential to state that an instructional explanation is best suited for those reviewing maths, but it can also be applied to other subjects; don't fret!

The suggestion of using a list of instructions is convenient for those struggling with or looking at something new. Go through questions to reinforce the instructions and ask them at different points to get involved and work something out along the way; this creates an active learning experience.

The five techniques mentioned in today's article are efficient and worthy of consideration for first-time tutors looking to establish a successful career in online education. We want to thank Cherie Mezer and all the other education experts working today for supporting supplemental education online and in person.

In conclusion, as a private tutor, I continually pay attention to their teaching skills to become a better instructor that helps individuals achieve their academic goals. There is no greater joy than seeing your pupils succeed at what they do!

You can check for tutoring jobs here.

Also, you may find a do-it-yourself guide for online tutoring beneficial if you want to tutor online.