The First Tutoring Session

The First Tutoring Session What Tutors, Parents, and Students Can Do to Make it SuccessfulFirst impressions are everything! Just like with any interaction, you might feel nervous going to your first tutoring session, whether youre a student or a parent. Still, the first session is the cornerstone for successâ€"it sets the standard for all future sessions. If you prepare for it, you can lay the foundation for not only  academic achievement, but a meaningful relationship!But what makes a first tutoring session successful?  What are the specific steps tutors, parents, and students should take to make the first session as successful as possible? Lets take a look at how we at AJ Tutoring prepare for our first sessions!What do our tutors do?Behind the Scenes   Our tutors are masters of their subject areas, armed with knowledge from elite colleges and universities. We as a company also provide ongoing support in the form of mentors, teams, and academic departments to ensure that our tutors remain at the top of their game.Student-Centered Coaching To be a successful tutor, we believe that you must be able to build positive working relationships with your students. Our student-centered approach allows our tutors to customize the sessions to the particular needs of each student. We coach our tutors to ask the right questions and encourage them to use their own strategies and bring their unique personalities to every session.Information Gathering Our tutors make their own schedules and so can work around a students needs. Once a student is assigned to them, tutors will reach out to schedule the first tutoring session. (We use Google Calendar to create event reminders for both students and parents.) Finally, tutors create a general plan for the students first session based on information gathered from our various communication channels.What can parents do?Logistical Support As a parent, you can help by making sure that your student can easily meet with their tutor. With younger students, you may nee d to take on a larger role in scheduling tutoring sessions. For older students, we recommend that you at least schedule the first session. For example, you can check in with your student to make sure they know when it is and at which office it is taking place. (Hint: check your Google Calendar invite if you dont remember!)Fill Out and Collect Materials At AJ, we want to ensure that we understand the goals for the student. For academic tutoring, we provide a parent goal form for you to fill outâ€"the information lets us know if theres anything specific we should target in sessions. For test prep tutoring, please bring any relevant previous test scores, if available. In addition, if you want to speak to the tutor in person, please do so! We encourage parents to use the beginning of the first session to let us know of any specific concerns or long-term goals.Prep the Student Lastly, talk to your student about their classes and goals. Does the student have any concerns or emotional need s? Are they motivated to try their best? What would they like to gain from their sessions? These conversations will be very valuable to tutors as they customize the tutoring sessions to the students  needs.What should students do?Tangibles As a student, there are a few things you should do before your first session. First, make sure that you have a general idea of what to expect from the first session, either by talking to your parent or your tutor. Also, plan out how youll get to the office (and on time!). Lastly, be prepared to answer questions about your education and academic goals. The more you have to say about your past experience, the better your tutor can figure out what you need to succeed.Intangibles Beyond what you literally bring to the session, your mind-set (your mental attitude) will affect how well your session goes! Students who come to the tutoring session with a growth mind-set rather than fixed one will end up getting more out of the experience. Someone with a f ixed mindset believes that nothing they do will change anything. Someone with a growth mindset sees failure as an opportunity to get better. They know that they can improve through dedication and perseverance. Dr. Carol Dweck’s research  proves that students with a growth mindset are more likely to succeed. In other words, dont let yourself hold you back! Come to your first session willing to do your best and open to trying new things. We are all lifelong learners at AJ, and we are excited to begin working with you!AJ Tutoring’s Checklist for First-Session Tutoring SuccessTutorsBehind-the-ScenesMaster content knowledge through college courseworkReceive ongoing organizational coaching and supportCollaborate and develop relationships with other tutors/educatorsStudent-Centered CoachingBuild effective and meaningful connections with studentsDevelop competency in student-centered teaching methods and strategiesIndividualize tutoring sessions to the particular needs of studentsInform ation GatheringKnowledgeable of test prep and academic tutoring processesCustomize the tutoring schedule to make the preparation happenCommunicate all necessary information to students and their familiesParentsLogistical SupportOrganize transportation to and from the tutoring sessionSet personal reminders to ensure the first session is not missedFill Out and Collect MaterialsPrior test scores (test prep)Parent goal form (academic)Prep StudentSet goals for the tutoring prior to the first sessionCommunicate the importance and opportunity of tutoringGet your student excited for the first session with their tutor!StudentsTangiblesTutoring: why you are coming to AJ?Transportation: how you are getting to AJ?Know your vision: think about what you want to gain from tutoringIntangiblesAdopt a growth mind-setBe willing to try your bestBe open to change