6 Must-do's for tutors every first lesson

It is something that every tutor has went through before. The first lesson with a new student. Whilst experienced tutors may find the first lesson easy, it can be a nightmare for first-time tutors who have never tutored before. As a greenhorn, you feel so much pressure because this is the first ever impression you're gonna make. And then there's the inevitable question of "what am I gonna do for the entire duration of the lesson?". Whether you've been a tutor for 10 weeks or 10 years, we have all felt the anxiety of delivering our first lesson before. Hence, for this week, I would like to share my 6 absolute must-do's every time I teach a new student for the first time.

1. Introduce yourself

At the risk of stating the obvious, introducing yourself is an important first-step in any tutor-student relationship (didn't I mention it's your first impression). It sets the tone and it allows the student to know who YOU are. Most students are usually apprehensive on the first lesson and I usually break the ice by telling them, that throughout the course of this tutoring journey, they can ask me absolutely anything related to maths (or whichever subject you are tutoring them). Simply presenting yourself as a source of reassurance can facilitate the future flow of important communication.

2. Request to see the student's most recent exam paper

On the first lesson, nothing is more important than estabilshing the current standard of the student. What are his/her strengths and weaknesses? Which area does he/she need more help on? Taking a look at the student's most recent exam paper provides answers to these questions.

3. Check the textbook the student uses

Two schools may teach the same subject using different textbooks. Know which one your student is using. This allows you to take a look at the course content and give you an overview of what you'll need to teach him/her. Be aware, that the chronological order in which the topics are taught may not be the same as they appear in the textbook.

4. Check all the assessment books the student currently has (or does not have)

This will eliminate the unpleasant scenario when you buy an assessment book only to discover that your student already has it. You need to give the student practice questions and this will more often than not come from assessment books. I used to tutor maths at the P6 level and there is one assessment book that I absolutely swear by.

The book is filled with hundreds of questions per topic which are catered to varying levels of difficulty. I always insist that each of my students use it, and I would buy it for them if they do not have it. By checking the range of assessment books the student currently owns, you can decide if they are sufficient for practice, or if you need to buy more (remember to get the parents to reimburse you).

5. Check which topic he/she is currently learning

I always arrange my lesson plans to go in tandem with what the school is teaching. If time allows, I will even teach one chapter in advance so that by the time the school teaches them, it is not something that they are unfamiliar with.

6. Ask the student if he finds any topic exceptionally difficult

This helps in better identifying a student's weakness. You can then cater more time teaching that topic and doing more practices.