September 3, 2023

What Makes A GREAT Math Tutor?

What are the qualities & skills to look for when searching for an effective math tutor for your student?

As many of us know, every student is different when it comes to learning. It’s no secret that not every student can retain or learn math easily and enjoyably. That’s quite alright! Unfortunately, it’s still something they must encounter throughout their schooling. What’s a kid to do?

To minimize the challenges that math presents, it’s a great idea to seek a potential resource outside of the child’s traditional classroom. There are various tutors available, both in-person and virtually, able to teach math in new or different ways than conventional school teachers. Not only are they outside their typical learning environment, but it’s a much more individualized and intimate setting that will give the child the attention they need to tackle their math struggles.

What should you exactly look for in a tutor? An effective and experienced tutor will encompass a wide array of useful skills and qualities to establish a worthwhile experience for the student. 

Below are just a handful (of the ever-expanding) qualities of a GREAT math tutor.

Qualities + Skills Of A Great Math Tutor

Great, But Growing, Knowledge of Math: It’s important to give a young student a tutor that knows what they’re teaching. Having a prominent amount of mathematical knowledge is one of the most fundamental traits when looking for a good tutor. Not only should they have a foundational knowledge of the subject, but they should be open to expanding their perspective as math evolves with the times.

Humility: A humble, grounded tutor will provide an environment for your students that’s in THEIR best interest. The student is there to receive encouraging guidance on how to tackle math, not to boost the ego of the tutor. That’s why a great tutor should recognize their skills as worthwhile and useful, but utilize them for the good of others!

Ability to Individualize Strategies for ALL Students: Not every student is the same, especially when it comes to HOW they retain dense or difficult knowledge. Math, although very logical and quantitative, cannot be taught to everybody the same way. An experienced math tutor should take the time and care to assess the individual learning styles of every student they tutor to best plan their approach to teaching math at hand.

Accountability: There is a certain level of responsibility a great tutor must be able to take on. They have a wide assortment of students to educate, a schedule to maintain & update, and even families to interact with to communicate student progress. Accepting this role with an ethical and honest attitude ensures they will be able to address the unique circumstances of each tutoring relationship in a way it wholly deserves. 

Enthusiasm for Learning + Growing Math Skills: How can you expect a young child to not get excited to learn about math if the tutor can’t be? Showing up to the tutoring session with a passion will motivate the student to TRY; the contagiousness of the enthusiasm may even get them excited to learn. An excellent math tutor will attack their job with fervor to help in any way they can, and even be excited to learn more about math themselves! 

Flexibility: There will be times when a last-minute cancellation or rescheduling occurs, or maybe you’re a virtual tutor tackling technical obstacles. Regardless of the challenge, a great math tutor will maintain a flexible yet understanding mindset! The accessibility of a student will vary, so the tutor themselves should take as much responsibility as they can to do their part to ensure the students receive the resources they need. 

Professionalism: In reality, the tutor isn’t just interacting with the student! There are probably guardians, parents, even fellow educators who want to be kept in the loop on the student’s progress; that can be overwhelming! An experienced tutor knows that providing an approachable, personable, and well-composed attitude so the dynamic remains beneficial and positive! 

Patience AND Positivity: Learning is a marathon, not a sprint. Students will only learn as far as their motivation, focus, and mood can allow in various sessions. That’s why an exceptional math tutor will be patient yet challenge the student within certain boundaries. Not only that but maintaining positivity that the student will succeed in due time will rub off on them; children tend to energetically absorb what’s occurring around them. If you want the student to have a positive attitude, lead by example!

Able to TEACH, not just lecture: To fully retain or understand a mathematical concept, a student may need an in-depth explanation about a specific equation or concept. More likely than not, they won’t comprehend the math well if they’re just lectured to. It’s up to the math tutor to engage in discourse that fully encompasses the use, function, and steps of a math problem. Additionally, not many people learn effectively by just being talked to; they need various forms of education for their brain to absorb what’s being taught.

Motivation: Evidently, there will be sessions and/or weeks where the students will just not have the same determination to do the work they usually do. Despite the challenges, especially an energetic ebb and flow, a wonderful math tutor will persevere by brainstorming new yet engaging ways to teach; they will also know when to dial back on the studying to energetically match the student in the session. As long as the tutor has the drive to do the best they can to teach to the specific individual, it’ll be worthwhile.

Reliability + Preparation: Being a good math tutor doesn’t just mean showing up. It’s about being able to facilitate a productive session about the content the student needs to learn. That comes with showing up consistently, putting in your all, and most importantly coming PREPARED. A good math tutor will prepare for a session by outlining the lesson and its concepts whilst providing lots of exercises and reviews to effectively conceptualize the lesson.