Common Mistakes
Judging and Criticizing

A Tutor will get the best results by being gentle and kind with a student's self-esteem.

Many students who come to tutoring are unsure of themselves as learners. This lack of confidence can make them passive learners, which can create a vicious cycle:

  • passive learning leads to underperformance...
  • underperformance reinforces the original premise that the student is not a capable learner...
  • the lack of self-confidence maintains the Student's tendency to be a passive learner...
  • the cycle continues...
Lack of confidence in academics can make a Student vulnerable to criticism by instructors and tutors. It is very important that Tutors not criticize or judge Students with behaviors such as...
  • shaking the head "no" while watching a Student work on a learning task.
  • scowling at a Student's response or answer.
  • harshly correcting a Student's error, for example, by saying "No! Not that way!"
  • looking bored and inattentive when a Student is responding.
  • interrupting a Student engaged in a learning task without being asked.