Often I take on a tuition assignment after the client has already tried a tutor who has not been satisfactory.
This is such an unfortunate experience. Not only will there have been a waste of time and money, but the worst aspect is that the student will probably be less confident or more confused than before.
As in other professions, not all tutors will do the same job within the same assignment. If a tutor is to be employed, it is very important to try to find the best person for that assignment.
Tutors can differ in many ways:
1) Technical Knowledge - All tutors of the same discipline will not have the same knowledge and skills in their subject. Many teachers of Mathematics will not have a degree in the subject, and will not have the depth of knowledge that I think is very important.
2) Personal Manner - By the very nature of being human beings, not all tutors will have the same character or personality. This will reflect on the personal manner of a tutor when working with a student.
As for myself, if you're looking for a strict serious tutor, that may not be an assignment for me. I like to take a relaxed, friendly approach. I think better and more progress is made when both student and tutor enjoy the process. I find students enjoy working with me, and I'm told many of my younger students look forward to our meetings... as I do too.
3) Teaching Style - A tutor whose main teaching experience is from the classroom might not provide support that is any different to that a GCSE or A Level student is already getting on their course.
Working virtually full-time as a private tutor with a large clientbase has allowed me to aquire extensive experience of a wide range of assignments, and develop an effective technique for coaching students in the particular skills and knowledge they need.
4) Honesty! - The situation described at the start of this article is the result of a tutor taking on an assignment which they were not able to adequately support. It is particularly unfair if a tutor claims tutoring skills and knowledge they do not genuinely have.
In the free meeting I always have with a client before mutual agreement that I should take on an assignment, I make it clear if there is any aspect of the work that is not within my current experience. Clearly there will be things I will be supporting for the first time, but this should be known to the client and accepted.
