Sometimes the most challenging part of a tutoring session can be keeping your students motivated. The material might not be the most interesting, practice may have been brutal, or the day just might have been long… no matter what the case may be, keeping students motivated about tutoring isn’t always the easiest task. So, we came up with some tips to help you and your students get through your sessions!
- Reward Hard Work. Incentives matter. Giving your students something to look forward to is certainly a way to encourage hard work. It could be anything (within NCAA regulation) from being able to leave the session 5 minutes early once work is completed to getting a break once a specific task has been achieved. Give your students a reason to keep their eyes on the prize.
- Track Progress. Keep track of all of your students’ accomplishments. Knowing that actual progress is being made in your sessions helps both you and your student to keep pushing forward.
- Relate Subject Matter to their Life. Information is easier to retain if it’s associated with something that we’re actually interested in. Try relating content to a sport or hobby that your student finds interesting in an effort to keep conversation lively while still covering relevant material.
- Positive Reinforcement. Give your students praise when it’s deserved or even when you sense that your student is in need of some encouragement. Compliments go a long way.
- Make it a Competition. We work in athletics. EVERYTHING is a competition. Our students LOVE to win on the court, field, or arena, so of course they can do it in the classroom as well! Play games to foster competition and drive. This will make your sessions more interactive, enjoyable, and will also help your students retain information!
Hopefully these tips will help you keep your students motivated throughout your sessions and the semester!