How to make the most of a tutoring session

Introduction

Tutoring sessions are a great way to reinforce your learning, and deal with any areas you maybe struggling with. Makingthe most of each session is crucial to make the biggest impact to your learning. But how can this be achieved?

Come prepared to each session

Be as prepared for a tutoring session as you would a tutorial/SGS. Make sure you bring all of your learning materials withyou, as having your notes to hand will not only be helpful for you , but for your tutor to help you understand the materialyou are struggling with.

Write down questions 

When studying in between tutoring sessions, keep a list of any subject areas you find difficult or any questions you may have so that you remember to go over them you’re your session comes around. This is also helpful for revision, as you can ask yourself these questions  afterwards to consolidate your learning.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

This may seem obvious, but no question is too silly. Your tutor is there to help you and wants
 you to have a concrete understanding. If you struggle with asking questions in class where there are lots of people, keep a list during class and ask your tutor away from any peer pressure. Asking questions will help to direct your tutor on exactly how to help you understand the topic, so the more specific the question, the better!

Have a plan

Go into each session with a goal. Whether this be to understand a particular topic, or to go  over an essay, having a plan will help both you and your tutor to achieve this goal by the end of the session. One strategy is to email your tutor your goal ahead of the session, so that they can  put a plan in place of how to help you get there. If you’re having more than one session, having a long-term plan is also useful, for example rather than becoming more confident in one topic, you couldset  yourself a goal of the grade you’d like to achieve at the end of term.

Consolidate after the session

A tutoring session may help you to better understand a topic, but it’s up to you to put the work in and cement what you have learned so that you can put it into practise in your lectures or exams. Allocate an hour after your tutoring session to write down the answers to your questions and link this back to your lecture notes. You can even ask your tutor to provide you with  consolidation exercises to do  in the hour after the session.

Your tutor is not your lecturer

The aim of your tutor is to help you understand a topic, not to re-teach it to you. This is why preparing for your sessions by bringing specific questions is essential, as it means your tutor can give you focused advice and guidance. But your tutor is not a replacement for your lectures, so you must keep up your individual work alongside your sessions.

Know your learning style

Understanding your learning style is a useful way to make studying more effective in general, not just in tutoring  sessions. But being able to explain to your tutor that you learn best by listening, for example, can help your tutor give you personalised guidance on how to reach your goals. For example, if you learn better by listening, asking questions, and listening your tutor’s 
answers and then asking for a moment to take note of the answers after would help you more than trying to write and listen at the same time.