Communication is the key to successful tutoring. Between the instructor and student it is the heart of the tutoring relationship, but there are other stake holders that need to be kept in the loop about the student’s progress. The LearnSpeed system makes it easy to keep everyone up-to-date and informed.
Here’s how to write a great tutor session report.
Keep the information about what specifically was worked on short and to the point.
Today Mary and I worked on linear equations. Specifically, the relationship between two variables and how changing the coefficient and adding a constant effects this relationship.
Communicate if the student is on path to their goals as stated in the work order.
If the student is on track, then be specific about what behaviors you want to continue to see from your student. If the student is not on track, be specific about what needs to change. Your job is to work with your student, set goals, and discuss what is getting in the way of reaching those goals. Ultimately you must come up with solutions to address these challenges.
We spoke about missing homework assignments. John reaffirmed that his goal is to raise his grade to a B or better by the end of the quarter. We spoke about what is getting in the way. John said that he often times spends too much time playing XBox and then runs out of time before bed. We agreed that John will try setting a timer for 15 minutes of playing XBox after school and then to dive into his homework and to only play again if he completes his work in time. John is going to report back on how this goes for him next week.
Be specific if the parent needs to take action to support the student.
If the student has had trouble remembering to review before exams and you think it would be helpful for the parent to remind the student, then clearly ask them to do so.
Mary said that she forgot to review the chapter the night before the last test. We put a reminder in her phone’s calendar to go off after school the day before her next test and agreed that it might help if her parents knew about her test schedule to help remind her to get at least an hour of review the night before. Mary’s next test is this Friday. Please help remind Mary to study at least an hour on Thursday night before her next test on Friday.
Be specific if you need help from an administrator.
Use the Needs Attention check box if you want to bring special attention to a session. Do this when you are unsure about how to proceed with a student or if he or she seems stuck on the same issue. Also bring attention to any session log if the student really needs additional sessions in order to meet his or her stated goals.
Use the Needs Attention check box if you want to bring special attention to a session. Do this when you are unsure about how to proceed with a student or if he or she seems stuck on the same issue. Also bring attention to any session log if the student really needs additional sessions in order to meet his or her stated goals.
Session reports can be a great tool in support of your students, but they can also provide important documentation of progress if questions come up later about the course of tutoring.
The student’s success is up to them – see parable about bringing a horse to water. It is imperative that parents and administrators know if the student is not progressing. That is the only way that all the stake holders can come together in support of the student. Be positive, but be honest.
I have found that some of our best students are ones that struggled initially. With structured and consistent support, they were able to turn things around. This can be a wonderful gift for them. Often times, your regular communication will be the first time the parents have been kept in the loop about their child’s education. These parents will likely turn into strong referral sources for you and your company.
Summary
1) Be concise about what you worked on.
2 ) Report if the student is on or off path towards their goals. If off path, report how you are addressing this with the student, be specific about the solution you and your student have decided upon.
3) Be specific about any action parents may need to take to support their child.
4) Make sure to ask for help from an administrator if needed.