Tutoring for enrichment: Working with students who have mastered course content
For tutors
Tutoring isn’t just for students who need additional support—students of all performance or skill levels can benefit from personalized instruction outside the classroom. Even learners who meet grade level standards can benefit from tutoring, whether by getting ahead, developing a deeper understanding of the material, or reinforcing their love of learning.
If you’re a tutor working with students who have already mastered course content, here are some tips for tailoring sessions for enrichment.
One of the best ways to challenge students—and ensure that they’ve internalized course content—is to have them teach it. Ask them to come up with their own lesson on a subject and let them play the role of teacher. As part of this mock instruction, students should be able to share a new problem or situation that illustrates the concept or skill.
One of the most important outcomes of tutoring is helping students take ownership of their academic development. Students who successfully demonstrate independent learning are able to set goals, motivate themselves, and evaluate their own progress.
To encourage more independence, have students generate discussion questions for reading assignments or set goals for an upcoming research paper. Ask them to identify what they want to accomplish by the end of each tutoring session—and follow up to see if they met their own goals.
As with most things, course material makes more of an impact when it relates to the student’s interests. During the first session, spend time learning about your student through ice-breaking questions or exercises. Once they’ve achieved basic comprehension of a subject, you can add excitement by tailoring following lessons to fit their passions or intellectual pursuits.
Effective tutoring requires continuous adaptation—especially when you’re working with students who already demonstrates basic mastery of a unit or course. Remind Tutoring offers tutors guidance and support throughout the journey, so you can help students build an academic foundation that lasts a lifetime. Learn more about becoming a Remind tutor and complete an application today.
