Working as a tutor for high school students can be an extremely rewarding job – though also very demanding at times. High school students may feel a lot of pressure to perform well academically, and older students will aim to get into their chosen colleges, which can add additional stress and pressure. A tutor for this age group must be not only knowledgeable in the relevant curriculum, but also has the patience and understanding required to support students of this age in this environment. High school math curricula require specific skills and competencies to be mastered, and there may be a significant focus on examinations such as SAT and ACT, the results of which are used for tertiary education admissions and considered in the awarding of scholarships. Whether you are offering group classes at a local school or providing math help online, below are some tips for a high school math tutor:
Get to know different learning styles and approaches
Having the mathematical knowledge required to support your students is the first step to your success as a high school math tutor. Understanding how people learn and interpret information will greatly benefit you and your students. Not every student who approaches you will have the same needs, nor will they learn in the same way. Before you start tutoring, it might be beneficial to research learning styles and tips on teaching students with different learning styles.
Understand different teaching styles and approaches
How you teach is just as important as how your students learn. Consider your preferred teaching style (if you have one) or think of the way that you would like to approach your teaching. Remember that teaching is more than just repeating information to your students: you need to be able to recognize how they do not understand the material and be able to explain the concepts in a way that makes sense to them. You may have to adjust your teaching style to suit students’ needs.
Consider the environment you will be teaching in
Make sure you have a comfortable and appropriate environment for teaching. Whether you are teaching at school or providing math help online, your setup should be professional and well-organized. If you are using space at a school, ensure you have the space booked for your sessions/ classes when needed. Ensure you have liaised with the relevant faculty member/s to ensure you have access to your teaching space and that it is set up as you need it to be. If you are teaching at your student/s’s home(s), make sure you ask to arrange your classes in an environment that is quiet and free from distractions. This is similarly applicable to online classes.
Be prepared
While this might sound apparent, it can be very easy to fall into the trap of believing that having mathematical knowledge and skills means you are prepared for your tutoring sessions. Before you start tutoring a student, you should know what resources they are using at school (be familiar with their textbooks) and get a clear idea of their needs. Having a document that prospective students can fill in indicating which areas they need help in, what their current performance is like, and what their goals are will help you to best prepare for your sessions. Prepare extra resources or activities to make your students’ sessions as productive as possible. If applicable, prepare homework assignments for them too.
Give constructive feedback and encourage improvement
Usually, a student’s goal with tutoring sessions is to improve academic performance or to ensure good results in a specific test or exam. It can mean a lot for students’ confidence if they see results quickly. Achieving smaller milestones (set by you) can greatly benefit a student’s confidence and continued performance. Having a goal plan laid out with smaller, achievable milestones along the way gives the student something to work towards every week and something for you to praise them on each week. Seeing the smaller positive results will help the student’s mindset while improving their skills.
Continuous reflection
Get feedback from your students—this is vital for your continued success as a tutor. Create a platform through which students can provide you meaningful feedback or set aside specific time to ask them for it. This will not only improve their experience while they are learning with you but also the experience of other students and your teaching skills overall.
