Tutoring in Groups

Many tutors can tutor students successfully in groups. Small groups can work effectively to bring students sharing the same course up to speed on concepts that they struggle with or to refresh ideas first brought up in the classroom. It pays though be sensitive to the members of the group and continue to treat them as individuals, throughout the course of the tutoring sessions. This will be what the parents are expecting from the group tutoring sessions, and it is the best for all students involved in group tutoring.

One problem with small groups is that there will be some students who begin to “catch on” to the course work before others do. This situation can be used to the tutor’s advantage. For example, let’s use a hypothetical group of 5 students all studying Pre-Algebra, and receiving tutoring for several sections of the course. The tutor can begin the sessions by playing games based on word problems, or actual homework assignments to determine where everyone is at in terms of understanding the basic concepts of the section. The students can work independently on sample worksheets as well, to alert the tutor to problem areas.  The parents can reinforce the work done on worksheets when at home, as another way to keep the students up with the rest of the group.

Once the tutor determines what sections the students do not understand, the tutor can make up lesson plans for the students to review away from the tutoring session. With these lessons the students will get the practice for the course in the form of “tutoring homework.” Once back with the tutor, the students will review the work done alone and determine what other work needs to be done to catch the student up with the coursework at hand. These lessons can also be used by the students during quiet study time during the tutoring session, if the tutor needs to spend additional time with a student still struggling with a difficult concept. In this way, the parents are getting their "money's worth" since the students are all working at their own pace and performing successfully at their own level with no pressure to work to someone else's standard.

During the group tutoring sessions, the tutor can start a general review of the materials. If there are one or several students who don’t understand a particular section, the tutor can enlist the help of any students who do understand the section, to let those students explain (in their own words) the section to their peers. This has two distinct advantages for the students. It is often easier to hear a difficult problem broken down by a peer, and increases the student (acting as a “teacher”) understanding of the concept. It also allows the students who understand that concept to develop confidence and leadership because of that opportunity to “teach” other students. This is a win-win situation, as most parents would agree.

The students who are moving ahead can do so with advanced worksheets on the topic, that can be completed during the session, or taken home as homework. The students understanding a new section needn’t be held back by other students who are “not as advanced.” In this way, when a student moves ahead of the group, that effort is rewarded (by acting as a “student teacher”) and encouraged (by giving worksheets on advanced level work). Later, there can be friendly competitions of word problems and contemporary examples so that all students will get a healthy review of the material and be prepared to go back to their classroom with a firm grasp of the basics and beyond.

When parents agree to use a tutor who is taking on students in small groups, the parents should make sure that the tutor explains what methods will be utilized beforehand. Parents will be curious about the methods tutors are using and will ask questions. A good tutor will not become defensive when questioned about these educational methods, rather, the tutor will reassure the parents that there is a plan in mind for all of the students in the group, and that each student  will all be able to excel and work at his or her own pace. In this way, the parents will know that their student will not be bored or held back (if the student “gets it,” and also, not embarrassed or made to feel inadequate (if the student “is lost.”)

Remember, meeting and exceeding expectation is what it is all about when tutoring any size group, and your tutor should be able to deliver in all areas of group tutoring. Open lines of communication at every stage of the process will foster that understanding and make for successful tutoring of any group size.

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