Gaining and Maintaining Control

Three Keys to Discipline: Be Firm, Fair, and Consistent

As a tutor you can be tested consistently to see what the students can get away with. There is no magical approach to discipline, but there are three keys that will work no matter what strategy you employ.

To be firm — you establish the limits of behaviour in your tutoring session. You firmly enforce what is acceptable.

To be fair — if what you set is unfair, many students will challenge it because it is unfair. Students will accept rules that are fairly set and applied.

To be consistent — it is difficult to follow a rule if the rule keeps changing. If you say that they must not bother other students in the session, but sometimes say nothing when other students bother them, students learn that you aren't committed to your own rule.

Improving your Tutoring Management

Students will react to the expectations that you have set for them. You can improve your management by being aware of what parameters you have set for them.

Have you told them? Have you given explicit instructions so that they know what is required of them?

Have you shown them? Have you given them specific examples of what they are to do?

Have you listened to them? When they're having problems, have you asked them what they understand?

Have you praised them? Catch them succeeding at their work.

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