As a tutor, you know the thrill of planning engaging lessons and the pressure of covering all the necessary material. But have you ever found yourself caught in the “twin sins of planning”? This concept, introduced by educational experts McTighe and Willis, highlights two common pitfalls that can derail even the most well-intentioned tutors. Understanding and avoiding these sins can transform your tutoring sessions, making them more effective and rewarding for both you and your students.
The Twin Sins: Activity-Oriented Planning and Preoccupation with Coverage
In the world of education, planning is both an art and a science. The twin sins—activity-oriented planning and preoccupation with coverage—can lead tutors astray. Activity-oriented planning focuses on fun or cute activities without considering the deep learning they should facilitate. On the other hand, preoccupation with coverage pushes tutors to rush through material to meet curriculum demands, often at the expense of student understanding. Both sins are teacher-centered and can neglect the individual needs and progress of students.
2. Preoccupation with Coverage: Rushing to cover all material can lead to superficial learning. It’s crucial to prioritize deep understanding and application over merely checking off topics.
3. Student-Centered Approach: Effective planning should always consider the students’ prior knowledge, interests, and learning gaps. This ensures that the lessons are relevant and impactful.
Balancing Creativity and Effectiveness
Creativity is a vital component of engaging tutoring, but it must be balanced with effectiveness. When planning, consider the return on investment: how much time are you spending on an activity versus its impact on student learning? If the answer isn’t clear, it might be time to rethink or modify the activity. As a tutor, you have the flexibility to sprinkle fun activities throughout your sessions, but always keep the learning objectives at the forefront.
Adapting to Student Needs
One of the greatest challenges in tutoring is adapting to the unique needs of each student. Pacing guides and curriculum standards can be helpful, but they don’t account for individual learning gaps or strengths. For example, if your student struggles with the Core Skills of Math, it’s essential to pause and address these gaps before moving on. This might mean adjusting your plans to include foundational skills or using small group sessions to cater to different needs. Remember, the goal is student mastery, not just covering content.
If you are super focused on I’m going to do this activity this will be really fun this will be really cute or I’ve got this end product in mind or if you’re just I’m getting through the whole breadth of this curriculum you’re ignoring where the kids are themselves what they’re interested in what they know what their prior knowledge is.
Embracing Flexibility and Kindness
Flexibility is key in effective tutoring. While planning is essential, being willing to adapt your approach based on student feedback and progress is equally important. This might mean shifting from a planned activity to a more suitable one or spending extra time on a concept that students are struggling with. Additionally, it’s crucial to be kind to yourself when you fall into these planning traps. We’re all human, and we’re in a constant state of revision and improvement.
Be kind to yourself if and when you do fall into these traps because we’ve all been there…we’re often so critical of ourselves in the work that we do because we want to do such a good job but just take it a little bit easy with yourself.
As a tutor, your role is not just to teach but to inspire and empower your students to reach their full potential. By avoiding the twin sins of planning and focusing on student-centered, flexible, and effective strategies, you can make a lasting impact. Remember, the brain is capable of remarkable change through neuroplasticity, and with the right approach, you can help your students develop a growth mindset and overcome any learning challenges. Join the Learning Success affiliate program to enhance your tutoring services and boost your income while helping your students overcome learning challenges.
Author: Laura Lurns
Find me on X https://x.com/lauralurns