How a Summer Tutor Can Help Different Types of Students
Summer is a break from the busy school year and the lack of academic responsibilities makes it the perfect time for students to catch up, get ahead, and build skills without the added pressure of keeping up in class. With students also losing, on average, a month’s worth of learning during the 6-week break, having a summer tutor can be hugely beneficial for every student. Here are some ways a summer tutor can help different types of students be even better prepared for the new academic year.
The High Achiever:
- Straight A student
- Engaged in school
- Very hard working and dedicated
- Little to no academic struggle
Even if a student is already a high achiever, they can still benefit from having a summer tutor. Not only can they start to get ahead with their learning for the next academic year, but a tutor can also extend their learning by exploring new topics or subject areas that are based around personal interests, which can be very enjoyable and engaging. A tutor can also teach new strategies and routines that may be more effective than what a high achieving student is currently practising. This can help them better manage their workload and reduce stress when they return to school.
The Natural Student:
- Usually a straight A student
- Learning and academics often come easily to them
- Don’t usually feel the need to study much
- Don’t typically need to spend much time completing homework
When learning comes naturally to students and they don’t need to spend much time studying to achieve excellent grades, they may not develop effective study, time management and organisational skills. Not only can this be challenging when they head to college and university, where learning gets more complex and intense, but also when they enter the workforce and need to be able to apply themselves in a non-academic setting. A summer tutor will be able to help a naturally-gifted student learn how to effectively manage their time and build up good organisational and study habits, which will be sure to benefit them throughout the rest of their academic career and beyond.
The Struggling Student:
- Struggles in one or more subjects
- Tries hard but doesn’t see the success they would like
- May be losing motivation
- Often has little confidence in their academic abilities
As the 6-week break is a long period of time away from the classroom, having a summer tutor is an excellent opportunity for a struggling student to fully focus without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. A tutor will identify the subject areas where the student has been struggling and will support the student with developing these areas and building back any missed learning from the previous academic year. A tutor will also take the time to develop and implement useful strategies which can help struggling students overcome challenges next school year, better preparing them to take steps forward and thrive in the new school term.
The Disorganised Student:
- Has trouble keeping track of their schedule and homework
- Seems “scattered” and forgetful
- Frequently feels rushed and/or like there isn’t enough time to get everything done
- Feels stressed when they have a high workload
- Their grades are likely lower than they would like due to their disorganisation
A summer tutor will really help a disorganised student build up their all-important executive functioning skills. In fact, alongside helping them catch up with any lost learning or misunderstood concepts, a tutor will be able to take as much time as the student needs to really hone in on developing skills such as organisation, time management and the ability to prioritise. Growing and reinforcing these skills will help to reduce stress when they return to school by building effective academic habits and strategies to help them stay on track next year.
The Unmotivated Student:
- Disengaged in school
- Feels little urgency to complete homework
- Leaves things to the last minute and rushes work
- Grades don’t reflect what they are capable of
Having a summer tutor is an ideal way to really help an unmotivated student have the space and support to uncover what makes them feel so disengaged with school. Once the root of the problem has been identified, a tutor can support the student with developing and implementing an individualised plan to address the issues and enable the student to move forward with a more positive outlook about their academic studies. A tutor will also act as an accountability partner for a demotivated student by regularly checking in with their progress and supporting them with any challenges they’re facing.
The Student Lacking Confidence:
- Doesn’t often participate in class
- May be described by teachers as shy, quiet, the class clown, or seen as standoffish or aggressive
- These students often get emotional
- May express feeling they are “stupid”
Having a tutor over the summer break is the perfect opportunity for a student to work to understand where their lack of confidence comes from. A tutor will offer them continued encouragement and praise, help them to discover all the things they are good at, address any areas of academic need, and build up their confidence levels. This will help students to believe in their own abilities and feel more comfortable in school, helping them to succeed academically.
Click here to learn more about Tutor Doctor’s summer learning programmes.
