Dec 19, 2017
From personalized learning to engaging students holistically, the highly specialized world of Special Education has plenty to teach tutors.
When it comes to dealing with diverse challenges in the classroom, teachers in Special Education have it down pat: Individual students' needs have to be met, lesson plans broken down into smaller, more easily digestible chunks, and parents given a thorough understanding of their children’s academic progress and prognosis.
Tutors can draw lessons from their Special Education counterparts in supporting their own students:
Tailor your lesson plans. Every student is different – and so should every lesson plan. Personalized learning requires tutors to listen to their students, gauge their needs, and deliver.
Converse with parents. Parents can be just as involved in the tutoring process: just as we tailor lessons for students’ needs, so tutors should be open and upfront about what those needs are and how the tutor plans to meet them. A more informed parent is a happier parent (and client).
Network with other tutors. We said it before and we’ll say it again: No tutor is an island. Tutors can learn best from other tutors, including tutoring styles and how to cope with students, parents and the stresses common to the vocation.
Love your students. The research shows time and time again: nurturing your students’ emotional well-being pays off handsome dividends for their long-term academic success and in life generally. Identify potential problems in students’ school and home life. Are they anxious or depressed? Is something else getting in the way of their learning? Be the hero by being present for your students’ non-academic needs.
banner image from https://www.edutopia.org/article/what-ive-learned-special-ed-teachers
What I’ve Learned From Special Ed Teachers https://www.edutopia.org/article/what-ive-learned-special-ed-teachers
