What you need to start tutoring: 5 'must have' things

Being a tutor is such a rewarding experience. Providing expertise and tailored learning to students who may require extra help or who want to further their skills. But preparation for lessons is key. There are some supplies and things you need in advance, to ensure that you are prepped to deliver quality tuition every time.

A diary may not be involved in the tutoring sessions. but a diary is vital to ensure you are prepared, organised, and don’t double book yourself or miss a lesson. This could be a physical diary, in which you write in, or it could be a digital diary, whereby you schedule lessons and receive notifications, a couple of hours beforehand.

Again this is something to prepare before the tutoring session. An agenda is great for setting the tone of what will be covered in the lesson, plus it will give the student pointers to recap on once the session is over. It could be a good idea to send the agenda out a couple of days before the lesson. Give the students time to read through it, highlight any areas they want to focus on, or even do a little research beforehand so that they feel better prepared coming into the tutoring session.

For some subjects, certain supplies such for instance a protractor won't be needed, but for GCSE maths it will. Having your own supplies that you bring to every lesson will ensure you complete the teaching without any delays, such as not having a pen. You will know the supplies you 100% need for your subject, but coming well-prepared means you’re setting yourself up for success.

There are various reasons why people get into tutoring, whether this is as a main job, a supporting part-time role, or a flexible job to do alongside studying. Tutoring still carries a lot of responsibility, as you are providing expertise on a subject where a student feels they need extra help. You are their knowledge and way of progressing. Knowing how to provide a good level of tutoring is vital to the important responsibility you have as a tutor.

The ‘3 P’s’ and 3 characteristics are very important for providing a great level of tutoring, but also providing an enjoyable learning experience. Positivity is all about not focusing on the negatives, highlighting the achievements, and providing useful tips on further improvement. Patience is about understanding that learning, understanding, and application take time. Finally, persistence is about finding various ways and methods of approaching topics that work the best for various students and their needs.

Want to understand more about what it’s like to become a tutor at TeachTutti and how it work? Visit our tutor FAQ page for more info, or get in touch with a member of our team.