How to Be a Science Tutor
Vary how you present information., Keep a light touch., Practice often., Encourage critical thinking., Vary your study place., Get feedback from students.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Vary how you present information.
The more ways you present a topic, the more chances your student will have to resonate with the information you offer.
Try working problems, discussing prominent scientists in the field you are tutoring, and allowing the student to connect to different aspects of your topic.
This makes the topic more engaging and digestible for students., Science can sometimes be pretty technical and tedious.
Introduce a bit of humor and fun to the lesson.
Make jokes about your subject matter, even if they are nerdy science jokes.
You can also use flash cards or other systems to create fast paced quiz games.An example of a chemistry joke might be “You know why I don’t trust atoms? Because I heard they make up everything!” , Your students will need to have frequent opportunities to work through science problems and concepts.
Allow them to work through an idea from start to finish, and then give them constructive feedback about their process.
Make sure that you explain the concepts involved when correcting them, and ask them to explain the concepts back to you., Allow your students to talk more than you do.
If you are tutoring multiple students, give them a chance to discuss problems with each other.
Any time a question, or answer, is given, allow the students to reflect on the science concepts behind the question.For example, if you are covering material related to the shape of a water molecule, you might ask the students to consider why it is a different shape from another three atom molecule, such as carbon dioxide.
Rather than telling them the answer right off, prompt them to think about the electrons on oxygen.
You might say “What is it about oxygen that would push the hydrogens closer to each other, giving water a bent geometry?” , A change of scenery from time to time will give your tutoring sessions a natural, relaxed feel.
Get out of the classroom and go to science exhibits, or do your own experiments that are relevant to the topic you are tutoring.
This breaks the monotony of the classroom.For example, if you are teaching a chemistry lesson, you might go outside and demonstrate how some household chemicals react.
Pay particular attention to how each student acts in each study place.
Some students may need more structured environments, while others need a more casual space. , Your students will be able to tell you if they are learning well or not.
Listen to what they have to say.
If they seem hesitant to speak up, provide a survey for them.
The survey questions should prompt them to tell you what you are doing well, and what you could improve on.Try to make your survey anonymous and say something like “I need your feedback to make sure that I’m meeting your needs.” An example survey question might be “How comfortable are you speaking about the material we cover in a tutoring session?” -
Step 2: Keep a light touch.
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Step 3: Practice often.
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Step 4: Encourage critical thinking.
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Step 5: Vary your study place.
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Step 6: Get feedback from students.
Detailed Guide
The more ways you present a topic, the more chances your student will have to resonate with the information you offer.
Try working problems, discussing prominent scientists in the field you are tutoring, and allowing the student to connect to different aspects of your topic.
This makes the topic more engaging and digestible for students., Science can sometimes be pretty technical and tedious.
Introduce a bit of humor and fun to the lesson.
Make jokes about your subject matter, even if they are nerdy science jokes.
You can also use flash cards or other systems to create fast paced quiz games.An example of a chemistry joke might be “You know why I don’t trust atoms? Because I heard they make up everything!” , Your students will need to have frequent opportunities to work through science problems and concepts.
Allow them to work through an idea from start to finish, and then give them constructive feedback about their process.
Make sure that you explain the concepts involved when correcting them, and ask them to explain the concepts back to you., Allow your students to talk more than you do.
If you are tutoring multiple students, give them a chance to discuss problems with each other.
Any time a question, or answer, is given, allow the students to reflect on the science concepts behind the question.For example, if you are covering material related to the shape of a water molecule, you might ask the students to consider why it is a different shape from another three atom molecule, such as carbon dioxide.
Rather than telling them the answer right off, prompt them to think about the electrons on oxygen.
You might say “What is it about oxygen that would push the hydrogens closer to each other, giving water a bent geometry?” , A change of scenery from time to time will give your tutoring sessions a natural, relaxed feel.
Get out of the classroom and go to science exhibits, or do your own experiments that are relevant to the topic you are tutoring.
This breaks the monotony of the classroom.For example, if you are teaching a chemistry lesson, you might go outside and demonstrate how some household chemicals react.
Pay particular attention to how each student acts in each study place.
Some students may need more structured environments, while others need a more casual space. , Your students will be able to tell you if they are learning well or not.
Listen to what they have to say.
If they seem hesitant to speak up, provide a survey for them.
The survey questions should prompt them to tell you what you are doing well, and what you could improve on.Try to make your survey anonymous and say something like “I need your feedback to make sure that I’m meeting your needs.” An example survey question might be “How comfortable are you speaking about the material we cover in a tutoring session?”
About the Author
John Young
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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