Last Updated On: March 24th, 2021
What is a tutoring style you might wonder. Well, it’s pretty much the same as a teaching style. It can be loosely defined as the way an educator approaches the lesson. When you start hunting down tutoring companies and going over their recommended tutors this is the first place where tutoring style plays a key part.
Some questions to keep in mind before beginning tutoring include: Do you have a child that responds well to lessons laid out minute by minute and strict consequences for missing work? Or is your child a bit more receptive to positive reinforcement and making the plan as they go? It’s important to really ask yourself what they have responded well to in the past. What were their struggles? What elements of the classroom have presented problems at home? Make sure to keep your tutor informed about these details. They are far more important than you realize and can make such a difference when building a new academic bond with a tutor.
To better understand tutoring style, check out our tutor biographies and read how each educator outlines their approach: Private Tutors | In-Person & Online Private Tutoring
Now we know the selection process can be a bit intimidating to jump right into. To help you get a better feel for our tutors and their various styles, we selected three of our great tutors to break down their tutoring styles.
Meet Theo P!
How would you describe your tutoring style?
I aim to build up self-confidence.
What kind of students do you typically work with? Age/grade? Academic/test prep?
I work on both academic and test prep subjects with kids of different ages – from 10-year-olds to college-age – and of various learning needs.
Why do you think your style is the most effective for your students?
When a child begins to truly believe that she is both interested in the subject AND good at it, it takes little effort to continue learning and excelling. And I have the firm belief that it is entirely up to me to make kids both interested in what we’re doing and confident in their abilities.
Have you experimented with other tutoring styles previously? If so, how did it go?
Yes. Every child learns differently and is motivated differently, so I observe them very carefully during our first meetings to see what they respond to best. Some kids are driven by a strict and demanding tutor while others do best with gushing encouragement from someone friendly and kind. Competitive-by-nature students respond to reward systems, and uninspired ones do best when shown the relevance of the subject and the fascinating ways in which it can affect their lives. All kids, however, are motivated by tangible markers of progress, so I make sure to drive our lessons by setting goals that are challenging yet achievable and frequently recognizing what we have already accomplished.
Can you share one story about how your tutoring style led to a students’ success?
I recently worked with a high school student who – I was warned – was uninspired in school, had a very low confidence in his own abilities, and believed he was destined to bomb the ACT. In a couple months, that kid was working so hard during and in between lessons that he not only managed to raise his score by 7-8 points in every section, but also set a company record for improvement. And sure, we worked on both curriculum and test strategy, but I think the most useful thing I helped him with was building up confidence to become an overachiever.
I love Theo’s approach to the work. He really pays attention to nuance and allows the student to show him what is needed.
Chapman University’s blog also does a fantastic job of outlining the key components for selecting the right teaching style: Choosing the right teaching method – Improving learner experience through choice of pedagogy
Next up! Meet Gray W!
If you could use three words to describe your tutoring style, what would they be?
Patient, Active, Socratic
What kind of students do you typically work with? Age/grade? Academic/test prep?
I teach all ages and subjects— from 2nd grade kids to adults in their late 60s getting their GED.
Why do you think your style is the most effective for your students?
Listening to them gives them buy in and makes them active participants in the sessions.
Have you experimented with other tutoring styles previously? If so, how did it go?
For younger students, I’ve tried to play games instead of giving them free breaks on their own and sometimes that can work really well.
Can you share one story about how your tutoring style led to a students’ success?
I had one student who would always begin the sessions extremely anxious, but by maintaining an easy-going demeanor and lightening the mood with jokes, the student, just weeks later, told me how much they looked forward to our sessions and how confident they felt.
Gray has a lovely approach and really understands the importance of ease in learning. So many students yearn for confidence and care in the classroom.
According to Edutopia.org, “But for parents and teachers who can’t change circumstances, they can rely on useful solutions that confront the world we live in, including coping strategies that help them address future challenges. ‘By teaching them grit, resiliency, and self-care, you’re teaching a toolbox for any stress they may face,’ Truluck emphasized.”
Last, but not least! Meet Wendy I!
If you could use three words to describe your tutoring style, what would they be?
Knowledgeable, Adaptable, Personable
What kind of students do you typically work with? Age/grade? Academic/test prep?
Many CSET adults, a good amount of high school standardized (SAT/ACT), math/science, or general academic, a decent number of middle/upper ISEE students
Why do you think your style is the most effective for your students?
Students (and parents) won’t trust you unless you are knowledgeable. If they don’t trust you, they won’t learn as well. If they know that you are knowledgeable, then things that you don’t know are accepted and seen as evidence that it is ok not to know everything, which is also a useful thing to learn.
Adaptable is effective because students are different from each other, and they are different from themselves from situation to situation (as everyone is day to day, but adolescents even more so, due to their developmental stage). Ease in adapting is important so that students get maximal learning. By adapting to the students’ needs, a tutor can make sure that progress is being made toward the desired goal in a way that is easiest for the learner to take in.
Personability is important for most learners. I have had some situations where an academic only attitude is desired, and that goes with adaptability, but most learners are more willing to engage the material if the experience is pleasant. By engaging the student, they feel like they are getting the personalized experience that they deserve from a private tutoring experience. It is easier and more supportive to bring back a distractible learner if you can make a short personal reply about their distracted topic before bringing them back to business. (Why, yes, I also enjoy this topic, it is very…, how long have you been interested in it? Great! Now let’s look back at problem #5). It also makes learners look forward to lessons, which is always good!
Have you experimented with other tutoring styles previously? If so, how did it go?
I have had to be strict on students if that is what is needed, but in a way, that is also included in adaptable. Some learners prefer more structure, some prefer a more variable approach. Older students often know, younger students may know, or their parents may know, or you need to identify the student’s style based on previous experience.
Can you share how your tutoring style leads to a students’ success?
Any time that I have a student with test anxiety (which is often!) my tutoring style seems to help. These three traits are useful for helping the student feel confident in the experience, adapting to personality/learning availability shifts due to stress, and allowing the student to open up to new techniques and to talk about their concerns, which helps their performance. Many of my CSET testers have severe test anxiety and the strategies that I use with each are enhanced by the approach that I take. The success is in the test results, but also in the comfort level of the tester.
Wendy is also very thorough, which is so refreshing! Her ability to see anxiety in students and adapt to their needs is so important for learning and retention.
To hear more about Wendy’s specialty, check out her latest blog: CSET Test: The Importance Of Practice And Test Prep
Each tutor is very unique in their approach and each individual tutor-student relationship will be distinctive. It’s important to find the best fit for your student. Communicate with them, see how they respond to the lessons, ask them what they need to be the best version of themselves, personally and academically. Similar to finding a good doctor, you have to have a match, and sometimes it takes a few tries.
Have hope and know that the perfect fit exists!
