The only thing tougher than trying to tutor teenagers would probably be learning rocket science. Teenagers are not easy to teach because of their stage of development. Many of them are just learning about their capabilities as a student and hiring a tutor for them might just make things worse if it’s not handled right as they may feel like they are being told that they’re dumb. The bottom line is a teen that needs tutorship should get it. If you’re a tutor and you’ve been assigned to handle a teenager you need to realise that you’ve got a big job on your hands. You need plenty of help and advice, especially if you’re new to tutoring so it’s good that you’re here. Some of these points should make your job a lot easier.

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Get To Know Them

Your primary objective before you start tutoring is to get to know the teenager and understand what he or she likes or dislikes. Don’t assume they are all the same; they are individuals too, so their behavior and personalities will differ. Understanding what the teen prefers will give you the key into their mind, as you can use their interest to make them listen to you.

Try Something New

Teens are restless and highly active, so your everyday routine of going through academic subjects the traditional way could cause them to get bored quickly and lose focus. So what should you do? Try new things every time. Use a video or a game that is related to the subject once in a while. Lessons should not always take place in the living room or in their own room. Sometimes you should take them to the patio or garden or on a trip to give them a new experience.

Talk To Them Like Adults

There is nothing teens hate more than adults treating them the way they treat their four year old brother. In fact, this is usually the reason why many parents find it hard to communicate with their teenagers because they always want to feel and be treated like adults. Discuss and interact with them the way you would interact with your friends or colleagues. Once you do this then they will let you in to teach them.

Learn To Listen

Teens generally like to talk and ask questions. You’ll never get a good hold of their attention if you do all the talking and don’t listen to them. Let them say what’s on their mind and encourage them to ask questions when they don’t understand something. Be real with everything you do with them. Teens know it when you’re deceiving them or sugar coating things for them. If you don’t have answers to any of their questions don’t lie, just tell them the truth. They’ll respect you for it.

Ask Questions

For you to get the full attention of a teenager and get the best out of them, ask questions. Ask questions about the subject or topic you’re teaching and wait for them to deliver a considered answer. Don’t make fun of them when they make mistakes because that will kill their morale. Don’t just ask academic questions; you should also ask questions about their life and about what happened in school. The more you interact with them the more likely it is for your tutoring efforts to succeed.

Martin Philips is a student for teenagers who are studying for GCSEs and A Levels. He also provides an essay writing service for university students.