After setting up my virtual classroom and marketing myself to parents, it was time to get down to tutoring.

Both traditional classroom teachers and one-on-one tutors need to plan their lessons. However, the key difference lies in the scope and the level of customization of the planning.

In a traditional classroom, teachers plan lessons with a broader scope, aiming to cover the required curriculum for a diverse group of students. They may differentiate their instruction to accommodate varying abilities in the classroom, but the overall structure of the lesson is designed for students to follow along and complete assignments.

In contrast, one-on-one tutors create highly individualized plans based on the specific needs, abilities, interests, learning style, and goals of their students. This approach requires tutors to actively listen to their students and pay attention to their interests. Small talk such as "What did you do over the weekend?" or "What are some things you like to draw?", can reveal a lot of valuable information about the students. As an example, I once watched several Star Trek movies to tailor several reading lessons for a student!

Setting Goals and Tracking Progress

1. First, I administer a comprehensive reading assessment to evaluate each student’s decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills.

2. From the data gained from the assessment, I then leverage students’ strengths to address needs and draft goals that work towards achieving state standards.

3. I propose the goals to the parents and listen to their feedback. Their confirmation is essential at this stage.

4. I deliver instruction that is responsive to the needs of the student and aligns with the established tutoring goals.

5. I note students’ performance in every tutoring session using a systematic record system. I use a progress tracker to gradually build on students’ reading abilities and provide regular reports to parents.

By following these steps, I can set realistic and achievable goals, deliver tailored instruction, and monitor student progress over time. This enables me to provide a meaningful tutoring experience that appropriately challenges students and fosters continuous growth and learning. Furthermore, I ensure that parents are kept informed about their child's progress, encouraging their involvement in their child's education.

Learning Styles and Rapport

Each student is unique, not only in their interests and abilities but also in how they learn best. Recognizing this diversity and adapting my tutoring approach has improved the effectiveness of my lessons.

To set the tone at the beginning of a lesson, I inform my students about the activities we will do, our objectives, and the expectations. This practice is particularly beneficial in situations where the activity is challenging, not preferred by the student, or when they are having a difficult day. It helps to alleviate anxiety and frustration, creating a more conducive learning environment.

To address different learning styles, I find it helpful to build rapport with my students and regularly ask them about their interests.

Some of the questions may range from:

• "How was your weekend?"

• "What's your favorite hobby or activity, and what do you enjoy most about it?"

• "Can you tell me about a book or movie you enjoyed recently, and why it stood out to you?"

With this information, I can find resources and activities that offer both enjoyment and challenge for the students. For example, if a student struggles with reading comprehension but has a passion for learning about otters, we could explore an article on otters together and have them answer questions to check for understanding. This way the student can practice their comprehension skills while engaging in a topic they find fascinating.

After every lesson, I ask my students for their feedback on how much they enjoyed the material. Their input helps inform the selection of resources for our next lesson. I understand that it can be challenging to find materials that align with both state standards and the interests of individual students. That's why I prioritize cultivating a growth mindset in them, a concept popularized by Carol Dweck. A growth mindset involves believing that abilities are not fixed, which motivates students to continue learning about new topics and to persevere even when faced with difficulties in comprehension.

Put in Practice

I currently have a student who started tutoring when they were in elementary school. Upon assessment, I learned that their reading skills were significantly below the expected level for their age. They had a very negative outlook towards learning and had very poor self-confidence. They were labeled as a “failing” student for almost all of their schooling. It was difficult to build rapport and very difficult to help my student see the value of our sessions. They simply were not interested, but I persisted in my efforts to engage and support them.

Goals

I set reading goals at the CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) level. For example, the words "cat," "shout," and "hawk" are all CVC words. In addition to CVC words, I also set goals for recognizing sight words, fluency, and reading comprehension skills.

The goals I set for the student were geared toward developing foundational skills. While these goals may seem appropriate for primary grades, there is so much to learn at this basic level of reading that once mastered, it lays a strong literacy foundation for the student.

For example, learning phonemes, or the smallest units of sound in speech, and matching them to their corresponding letters or letter combinations is essential for reading and writing.

I'll admit, I was a bit nervous when it came to discussing the goals with the parents. I was worried that they would think I had set the bar too low for their child’s current grade level. But, to my relief, the parents put their trust in my plan and were on board. It was a moment of genuine relief and gratitude.

Establishing Rapport

I started by asking questions to understand the student on a deeper level. By listening to their responses, I was able to curate materials and activities that catered to their interests. In addition, I took the opportunity to share a little about myself, fostering a genuine connection and rapport.

Building a safe space for the student to learn at their own pace is essential. I congratulated them for their successes, no matter how small, and scaffolded whenever they were having difficulties. They were also encouraged to freely express their frustrations, understanding that reading can sometimes be a challenging endeavor.

I also built rapport with the entire family, as I believe that literacy learning, especially for students facing challenges, becomes more meaningful when the entire family is involved and working towards the same goal.

Progress

For several months, we observed minimal progress. However, I didn't anticipate a significant leap forward because, as an educator, I don't have any "magic beans." Learning to read is a multifaceted skill that requires time and dedication. Each student learns at their own pace, and some may require more time than others to master it.

It was not until after 8 months that I began to witness significant progress. Finally, after one year of tutoring twice a week, the student made remarkable strides in their reading abilities, advancing by 1 to 2 grade levels. The student used to read 14 correct words per minute, but now they are reading 41 correct words per minute.

They can now sustain reading an entire page of text, whereas before they lacked the stamina to read even four short sentences. While we still have a long way to go, I am confident that we will reach our goals.

The parents have also observed a positive change in their child's attitude towards reading. They have noticed that their child is more inclined to read words on printed ads, billboards, and food packaging, something they had never shown interest in before.

Moreover, the parents were delighted to see that their child was able to read the assigned homework. Initially, the texts were simple, almost at a kindergarten level, but now I provide them with informational texts, and the student can read them with fluency and comprehension. The parents were thrilled to witness their child acquiring a crucial life skill and becoming better equipped to understand the world around them.

Seeing this progress gave me a sense of accomplishment, especially considering how far behind they were in their reading abilities. None of this was easy and we had plenty of days when reading was the last thing they wanted to do, but pushing through those low moments showed me this was possible.

Changing their trajectory in life through improving their literacy skills was possible. As an educator, I’m grateful to be a part of that journey.

Conclusion

Lesson planning will be a challenge no matter what environment you teach in. However, there is an added dimension with tutoring in customizing every lesson for every student. The challenge of understanding each of my student's needs at a deeper level has been rewarding for me as an educator. I now realize that this type of challenge is not one you overcome but embrace.

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