Useful Suggestions for Tutoring Teenagers

When people hear the word "teen," the next word that comes to mind is often "angst." According to the Oxford Dictionary, angst is "a feeling of great worry about a situation, or about your life."

Put simply, teenage years are a difficult time when people go through a big life transition. Teens are learning more about themselves, how they fit in their communities and in society as a whole. Also, there is more pressure to make big decisions about the direction their lives will take. They have a lot on their minds!

So when tutoring teens, remembering some important points will help you to create an environment for effective lessons. We've collected a few tips to help you make them the best you can.

Keep it real

Do you remember when you were a teen and someone older than you tried to be “cool” when talking with you, as if you were peers?

Chances are high that they failed miserably! One thing teens are great at is spotting these kinds of fakers, so don't be one yourself and miss your chance to connect with them.

To earn teens’ respect, you'll need to forget the acting and be more honest. When their own worlds are going through such big changes, they will appreciate a tutor who is stable and straightforward with them. Like with any kind of student, friendliness is essential, but don't overdo it.

Build rapport

Now that you aren't pretending to be their classmate instead of their tutor, you're in a good position to move to our next tip. Forming a strong connection is important no matter the age of the student. However, in some ways it's even more important for teens.

Adults are usually studying for a specific reason, and the main challenge with children is simply getting them to focus. Teens, however, often don't care — or don't want you to know that they care. There can be a kind of invisible wall blocking you that isn't there with students in other age groups. 

Breaking through that wall means you'll have to talk to them as individuals. To get the best results, you'll need to learn about their hobbies and interests, their goals, etc. In other words, give them a reason to care about your lesson by first taking an interest in them.

In addition to asking meaningful questions, a simple way to build rapport is to call them by their names when asking for answers and opinions. Doing so is a good way to wake them up and make sure you've got their attention. Also, be sure to compliment them on good work when it's appropriate. This can encourage them to open up to you more if done genuinely.

Choose topics carefully 

If you’re doing things like Daily News topics or — especially — free conversations, you want to be sure to make the right choices. Talking about political news or role-playing buying a house may work for other students, but teenagers probably won't be able to relate to it very much.

Relatability is a big key in getting teens to engage in lessons. Choose topics that are important to them or that they can make a clear connection to in their lives. This goes back to building rapport; if you've made good connections, you should already have a good idea of what will interest them and grab their attention.

Finally, when all else fails, just ask them about what they would like to study! Teens want to be heard, so asking and listening to what they have to say is a great way to build rapport while also learning good topics for them to focus on.

And a few more tips

Give teenagers credit. They may be young, but they're not children, so you shouldn't treat them like they are. Respect them and they will likely repay you with respect and attention.

And finally, try to keep in mind the point mentioned at the beginning of this article: teens are in a strange and often uncomfortable period in life. Have a little empathy for their situation and it may help you overlook some things that would otherwise be frustrating! 

Wrap-up

Teenage students can be a challenge to deal with in more ways than one, but they aren't impossible! Being honest, showing interest in them as individuals, and selecting relatable topics will help you make lessons into positive and productive experiences that could lead to more bookings in the future.