Check out this awesome article from our good friend Bella Williams:

Even the best tutors find it difficult to keep their students engaged for long. Teaching the same thing year after year could prove to be banal and boring.

This is why, a bit of variety and flavor is required while teaching the same thing over and over again to different sets of students. Even the greatest curriculum needs to be twisted at times, in order to make learning fun. This blog gives an insight into 8 ways that a tutor can adopt to make teaching easy:

1.     Tailored lessons

It is important for tutors to understand that no two students are the same. Children have varied interests, learning abilities and attention spans. Therefore, instead of following the same pedagogy for all students, effective tutors tailor their lessons such that each student understands them better. Tutors must take into consideration the age of their students to get an estimate of their attention spans. For instance, a six year old finds it difficult to pay attention to a subject for more than 20 minutes whereas a student aged ten can hold his attention for more than 40 minutes. Therefore, tutors must divide lessons and keep sufficient time for rejuvenation between lessons to enhance grasping power of students.

2.     Fun Learning

At times, it is important to break the monotony. Students get tired of attending one lesson after the other. Adding breaks and organizing games that help them understand the concepts of the lesson better is a great idea. Tutors can make students take part in memory games to enhance their concentration and memory. The rubric cube could be used to trigger analytical skills and sharpness. Instead of making students cram poems, making them sing would be interesting as well as energizing. Tutors can also teach values of team bonding and care by organizing games that involve students participating in teams. This will ensure the holistic development of the child.

3.     Students’ Personal Interests

One student could be a painter and the other could be a mathematician. Just like no two fingers of ours are identical, no two children are either, as far as their interests are concerned. Tutors must make an earnest attempt to find out what interests their student the most. In order to do that, tutors must first ensure that students shed all inhibitions. The more formal they are with their tutors, the more they will hide their interests. Tutors should conduct informal sessions to get to know their students better. Getting to know of their hobbies and interests could be pivotal in helping them learn better.

4.     Practical after Theory

It is unfortunate that in a lot of schools and colleges, great focus is laid on theoretical classes. It is important for tutors to note that demonstrating real world applications go a long way in helping students retain information. It is highly likely for a student to forget a lesson that he learnt yesterday unless he has attended a practical session on the same.

5.     Proofreading

A simple way for tutors to make life easy for themselves as well as students is by incorporating technology into learning. Proofreading content is important before sending an important email, submitting a term assignment and even filling forms. By teaching their students to proofread, tutors can help improve their overall performance, especially in writing assignments. In today’s world of technology, the internet is the solution to all problems. There are several online tools that proofread content with just one click of a button. Check out this ultimate guide on proofreading to find out more about proofreading content.

6.     Academic Blogging

A lot of times, students are expected to work on individual or group assignments. Academic blogging is the kind of writing that aids a student ace assignments and other class-work. Tutors can introduce their students to the world of academic blogging and contribute tremendously to their bright futures. If you are a tutor looking for a comprehensive guide on academic blogging, this should be of good help. This will help you understand academic blogging in great detail so that you can then teach your students the same.

7.     Review Games

Reviewing how much students have learnt in a given span of time is important. However, it is not necessary for examinations to always be serious. When testing the knowledge of students is the primary aim, remember that it can be accomplished through fun means as well. Instead of having written tests, tutors could organize competitions among students to test how well they have understood the lessons. They could even conduct fun quizzes and give out prizes to those who fare well in them. It is all about encouraging students to learn through techniques that are not so traditional, yet impactful.

8.     Field Trips

Students get utterly bored of getting to learn only in the classroom. If a tutor gets an opportunity to take his students to a field trip, he must grab it. Tutors must take their students to a place where they could learn more about the lesson that they are being taught. For example, before a history class, taking the students to a museum would be a wise idea. If it is a lesson on the government that they are studying, they could be taken to the local city hall. In a nutshell, changing the environment can contribute tremendously to the learning capabilities of a student.

Author Bio:

As an academic researcher & private tutor, Bella guides the new age professionals and students with their career. A graduate from Monash University, Bella organizes free coaching workshops and promotes free sharing of knowledge. You can also find her on LinkedIn.