Doing the Student's Work
IneffectiveTutoring: "Here's how to do this."
Effective Tutoring: "Let's see how you do this."
When a Student is struggling with a homework problem, concept, or class assignment, it's tempting for the Tutor to jump in and help by giving the answer or solving the problem. While well-meaning, this actually may harm the Student because...
- the Student becomes a passive/dependent learner.
- it takes away the Student's opportunity to develop problem-solving skills.
- it limits the Student's chance to master the material.
- it takes away the chance for both the Student and the Tutor to see what the Student knows and can do.
- the Student's loses the chance to increase self-esteem by wrestling with and solving a difficult problem.
