Rarely does a teacher or tutor accept their first post with no clear idea of how things should go. Indeed, many people choose their careers based on preconceived notions of what the job must be like, not just educators.

Often, the disparity between the glamour of imagination and the work's reality causes many to jump ship just a few years in.

For teachers, that reality cuts two ways. Once against their expectations and the second time because of students' expectations of them:

  • they want lessons to be fun and engaging
  • they want more than someone talking non-stop and writing on the board
  • they want to understand what the lesson is really about, not learn just enough to pass exams
  • they want to be inspired
  • they want to see more technology in the classroom and be able to use more online resources for their class work.
  • they want innovative teaching
  • they want a personal connection with their mentors
  • they want to be partners in their learning

Much of what students say they want in a teacher would admittedly be hard to provide. What classroom teacher has the time and energy to connect with every student while still keeping pace with curriculum demands? And because 'fun and engaging' are subjective, how should a teacher cater to everyone's idea of what constitutes fun while still ensuring enough learning happens to meet targets?

On the other hand, tutors gain a lot from students' ideal learning wish lists. Thus, we set forth what students want, which strategies you could incorporate into your tutoring to accommodate them and the qualities you should bring to every lesson to ensure successful learning sessions every time.

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1st lesson free!
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What Do Students Want?

Students may not be able to express what they want, let alone do so succinctly but, fundamentally, buy-in is what students are after. They're not and have never been 'empty pitchers waiting to be filled' as the prevalent (and now outdated) educational theory goes. They came to school fully curious and keen only to discover a host of curiosity-limiting practices.

So if you want to help your students rediscover and enjoy the process of learning, listening to what they have to say is the best place to start. From here, we cover answers from students who were asked what teachers and tutors can do to help them be more interested in and excited about learning.

If a student's learning needs are not being met, they will feel left out
Often, students feel left out of the academic experience because their learning needs are not being met. Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Teach me the basics of layered subjects like mathematics. “When I am having difficulty with a difficult area of mathematics like algebra, it helps if the tutor takes the time to make sure I know the basics. When they go over the subject to look for areas I have struggled with, it makes it easy to face more advanced topics.”

Encourage me to learn a bit about the subject before our tutoring session. “My tutor recently showed me a new learning tool and website called the Khan Academy. It has many short videos that explain specific areas of subjects like Numeracy. It also has a fun test you can take, which identifies weak areas you need to practise. The system then provides various activities to complete before you can call yourself a true master in a given subject!”

Doesn't it help to know what students think about education and the learning process? You can use these points to inform your tutoring strategies, along with our 8 ways to become a better tutor. Let's go on, shall we?

Connect Theory to Practice. “I get bored if I feel like I am learning something that will have no use to me in my practical life. I like it when my tutor shows me how there is a reason for everything she is teaching me.”

Making the class fun. “When my tutor brings new activities and games to a session, it makes studying more dynamic and less like a chore. Come exam time, I often remember information that arose during these activities with much more ease than when I am simply called upon to learn a string of boring facts from a book.”

Ensure students are involved. “When the tutor gets in front of the class and begins to give a long-winded speech, I find it difficult to stay focused instead of daydreaming. Tutors who get the most out of students are those who frequently ask us questions and encourage us to do most of the talking. We then know that we cannot come to class without preparing beforehand.”

Are you looking for tutoring jobs? Find your students with Superprof!

What Methods Work Best for Tutors?

All of that sounds like just so much malcontent finding its voice. But if we hear them out, we find that students aren't just idly complaining; they have more than a few ideas of how tutoring sessions could be made more effective for them.

Incorporating technology into the lessons. “My favourite tutor often uses fun interactive computer games. She tells me that learning does not have to be boring; it all depends on the way you approach it.”

Using visual aids. “I have a hard time memorising long lists of facts, which I often have to do in subjects like Biology, where I am required to learn the different parts of the anatomy, or various types of families and species, etc. My tutor encourages me to use visual aids such as learning maps with colourful pictures and writing to help me retain all this information.”

Giving examples. “When a tutor gives me examples, it makes it much easier to discuss difficult concepts, particularly in subjects like Philosophy or English. When discussing a topic like the use of irony in English literature, for example, it helps if the tutor provides instances of such, maybe through the works of great authors like Jane Austen.”

Brainstorming. “When it comes to essay writing, I can find it difficult to think creatively. Brainstorming alongside my tutor and other students makes me feel like even seemingly crazy ideas can actually be incorporated into a piece of writing in a way I had never thought possible. The process of brainstorming can sometimes lead me to new tangents I would never have considered otherwise.”

Setting goals. “When a tutor helps me prepare for a big exam, it helps if they help me set various smaller goals along the way. As I achieve each goal, I feel more confident about my own abilities to overcome even the toughest academic hurdle.”

Encouraging critical thinking: “My favourite tutors encourage me to question established ideas and come up with interesting solutions to problems like the environmental crisis.”

Students prefer tutors to use technology and provide examples of what they're talking about
Students appreciate when their tutors enhance learning sessions with visual aids and technology. Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

The Educators' Dilemma

'Academic career' is not a phrase coined simply because it sounds lofty. One reason the academic experience is set up the way it is - the regimentation, the schedule, the assignments and the respect for authority, is to prepare the future workforce for the rigours of working life. Dare we tamper with that conditioning? Must we?

Indeed, we must because of the expectations placed on today's workforce.

Compulsory education was established during the early 1800s, as the First Industrial Revolution was winding down. That's when the powers that be realised that an educated workforce would be more socially and economically beneficial.

The idea was not to give would-be intellectuals free rein or provide them with the tools and knowledge to make something of themselves. Fundamentally, the goal was to make them reasonably competent so they could complete increasingly complex tasks while still abiding by their superiors' edicts. Thus, the educational standards, what we refer to today as the Three Rs - reading, writing and arithmetic, were set.

Along with what would be taught and how, it was also decided who would be subjected to such teachings. For instance female students receiving limited instruction and were denied higher education altogether.

The world has moved on since then.

Today, we still can't say that employers, as a whole, care about their employees or take interest in their well-being but they've come to realise that at least listening - if not implementing their workers' ideas benefits them in the long run. Admittedly, this evolution is happening at a snail's pace but we see its effects in corporations that go to great lengths to retain the talent they've cultivated.

Such initiatives include in-house yoga and mindfulness coaches, coffee bars complete with free snacks and benefits packages that include generous allotments of paid time off.

As work life evolves, so too must the academic experience, and for the same reasons.

Much as corporations' mandate is to protect their bottom line, as an independent tutor, your bottom line depends on your clients' belief that you bring value to the experience. The best way to do so is to listen when your students vent about their frustrations over their learning experiences and reveal their learning preferences, and then do something about it.

Most Superprof tutors offer their first hour with a new pupil at no cost for that specific purpose. They want to find out what the student needs from them; not just 'homework help' or 'exam prep' but the intangibles too, such as those mentioned throughout this article.

Many ask "What's it like for you, in school?" or "What does your ideal learning session look like?" both to establish rapport and to gain valuable insights into what's lacking in that student's learning experience that they could provide.

Does that sound intriguing? Check out how you can become a tutor London on Superprof.

Students are shy not about sharing their opinions, even those about what kind of person an educator should be.

Being able to relate to students likes and dislikes helps build rapport
Students prefer to build rapport with fun-loving mentors who can relate to their passions. Photo by Zachary Nelson on Unsplash

What Qualities Do Tutors Need?

Adapting your pedagogy to your students' preferences is only half of your duty. The other half is being the mentor your students need. These personal qualities cannot be learned from a textbook; they're innate in all of us but often need to be cultivated so that they manifest effortlessly.

Fortunately for you, as you've set your sights on a career in teaching and, specifically, as a personal tutor, you likely are imbued with those personal traits students aver they need the most.

Being patient. “I don’t perform very well when my teacher or tutor applies pressure or shows annoyance when it is taking me longer to grasp a specific subject. A tutor who is patient and kind reduces my anxiety and makes it easier for me to think clearly and answer questions correctly.”

Inspiring me. “I was very insecure about my ability at humanities-based subjects like History, until I found a tutor who make it seem like fun, encouraging me to analyse historical figures and events instead of just memorising important dates and names. My tutor went to the trouble of finding interesting reading and articles that furthered my interest in Ancient History, a subject I went on to study at University.”

Being present. “If I arrive at a tutoring session and my tutor simply hands me a load of written work to complete during the hour, I feel like they are wasting my time. I prefer to complete worksheets at home before or after a session, and to avail of my tutor’s attention fully when we are together.”

Maintaining a youthful outlook: “I can relate better to tutors who share my interests in sport and music; it makes me feel that we have common ground and eases my anxiety.”

Bringing laughter into the session. “I like it when the tutor brings humour into the classroom, through the use of funny videos or memes, which make it feel like nothing should be taken so seriously that you cannot see a lighter side to it, not even exams.”

Personalising the session to a student’s learning style. “I tend to get bored if I have to sit in a classroom all day. My tutor uses activities like juggling to keep my body active while I’m memorising facts and figures.”

Being available. “My tutor answers my e-mails asking questions about ideas that arise. It feels good to know that they are there for me, even after a tutoring session has finished.”

Now that you understand better what students want from you, you need to figure out how to market those qualities and decide how much to charge for your lessons.

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Joseph

Joseph is a French and Spanish to English translator, language enthusiast, and blogger.