The Right Stuff: The Individual Characteristics That Make Stellar Tutors

Around ONE IN EVERY FOUR of secondary school students has private tuition, according to Ipsos Mori. Given its popularity, it isn't surprising for students to come across excellent tutors and, in turn, be inspired to follow a similar career path. However, CERTAIN POSITIVE PERSONAL QUALITIES are needed. So what individual characteristics make stellar tutors?

Adaptability And Flexibility

There is never a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, and that's why IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ADAPTABLE AND FLEXIBLE, says Tasha Arnold from ACS International Schools Cobham. A tutor may come across a wide pool of learners with their own academic preferences and limitations. These learners may also have varying learning styles. In order to be an effective tutor, one needs to be able to adapt to the learner's needs and be flexible in how they approach teaching a subject. It is also worth mentioning that with educational technology constantly evolving, a tutor that has adaptability in their personality will not be left behind.

Perceptiveness And Experience

Other individual characteristics that make a stellar tutor are perceptiveness and experience. Someone in a teaching position NEEDS TO SENSE A LEARNER'S CONFLICT so that they may address it effectively, according to Gerbert Sipman. In order to do that, a tutor must have A KEEN PERCEPTIVE NATURE so they may discern an issue before it becomes exacerbated. Now, "experience" doesn't just refer to work experience. It refers to a tutor's acquaintance with the expectations of their job from all the parties involved. A stellar tutor is one that proactively seeks to learn first-hand knowledge of how to address academic and personal quandaries within a tutoring environment.

Empathy And Kindness

Empathy refers to one's ability to understand the feelings of others, and it is crucial when tutoring. It can become extremely frustrating for a tutor when a learner is having trouble picking up a lesson. However, a person with empathy will understand that they are not the only one struggling in that moment. An empathetic and kind person makes a good tuto,r as they can help a learner understand that they are within a judgement-free zone that only seeks their betterment. A person with these qualities can communicate effectively through words and actions to help the learner with their stress and be more open to learning.

Any tutor can parrot a lesson from a workbook. Ultimately, it takes an exceptional teacher with ideal individual characteristics to do the job right. A stellar tutor can inspire their students and fully enable them to rise above their limitations and succeed academically, so a student seeking to become a tutor would be wise to review themselves thoroughly to see if they have the right characteristics for the job.