Supporting Tutors Every Step of the Way: The Totally Tutors Approach

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Interview:

When it comes to finding the perfect tutor for a student, one size definitely does not fit all. That’s why at Totally Tutors, we believe in starting with an interview to get to know you better. Whether you’re a new tutor or a student looking for personalized support, the more we know about you, the better we can match you with the right teaching approach and the right student. 

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Here’s what we focus on during the interview:

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Passion for Teaching

What drives you to teach? Passionate tutors inspire students and make a lasting impact on their learning journey.

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Preferred Subjects and Grades

Are you an expert in specific subjects or grades? Knowing your strengths helps us match you with students who need your expertise.

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Teaching Style

Do you prefer hands-on activities or breaking down complex ideas simply? Understanding your style ensures a comfortable and engaging learning experience for your students.

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Adapting to Learning Styles

Every student learns differently. We want to know how you tailor your lessons to suit visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners, ensuring the best match for your students’ needs.

The Intake Process:

At Totally Tutors, our approach to tutoring begins long before you meet your student. We believe that effective teaching starts with truly understanding the unique needs of each learner. That’s why, when a parent approaches us for tutoring, we complete a thorough intake process to set you up for success as a tutor.

Our goal is to gather as much information as possible to create a personalized learning plan tailored to the student. 

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Here’s how we do it:

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Getting to Know the Student:

We ask the parent a variety of detailed questions about their child, covering:

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Learning Needs:

Does the student need help with a specific subject, skill, or area of development?

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Goals:

What does the parent hope to achieve through tutoring? This might include improved grades, confidence, or specific skill mastery.

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Learning Style:

Does the student thrive with hands-on activities, visual aids, or auditory instruction? Understanding how they learn best allows us to match them with the right tutor and strategies.

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Interests:

What are the student’s hobbies, passions, or favorite activities? Incorporating their interests into lessons helps create engagement and enthusiasm for learning.

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Reviewing Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

If the student has an Individual Education Plan, we ask parents to share it with us. This document provides critical insights into accommodations, modifications, and strategies already in place at school, allowing us to align tutoring sessions with their existing support system.

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Asking for Additional Insights:

We encourage parents to share any other relevant details, such as past challenges, strengths, or observations from teachers. This ensures we have a full picture of the student’s needs and background.

By the time you, as a tutor, are matched with a student, you’ll already have a solid foundation of information to help you plan sessions effectively.

Job Board:

Once we have all the details about the student we post the tutoring job on our online platform. This makes it easy for tutors to browse available opportunities and choose the ones that best align with their skills and availability. The job will include basic information such as the general location, grade and subject or focus area of the student.  If you’re interested in a specific opportunity, simply click “apply” on the posting to express your interest. This notifies our team that you’re interested in learning more details about the job.

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Discussing the Details:

After we see that you’re interested in a job, we’ll reach out to connect with you directly. During this conversation, we’ll:

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Provide you with more detailed information about the student, including their specific learning goals, needs, and any challenges they may face.

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Share insights from the intake process, such as their learning style, interests, and any accommodations required (e.g., from an IEP).

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Answer any questions you may have about the student or the opportunity.

This discussion is designed to help you determine if the job aligns with your skills, interests, and schedule.

If, after our conversation, you feel the job is the right fit, we’ll move forward together. If you decide that it doesn’t align with your expertise or preferences, that’s completely fine too! We want our tutors to feel confident and comfortable with every placement.

For those ready to proceed, we’ll collaborate to:

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Create a Recommended Support Plan:

Together, we’ll develop an initial approach for working with the student, including key strategies and goals.

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Set a Schedule:

We’ll coordinate a tutoring schedule that works for you, the student, and their family. Flexibility and clear communication are key!

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Connect You with the Family:

Once everything is finalized, we’ll introduce you to the family, ensuring you have a smooth transition into your new tutoring role.

Our Support Doesn’t Stop There:

Even after you’ve started working with the student, we’re here to support you. Whether you need additional resources, advice, or adjustments to the plan, we’ll be by your side every step of the way. By the end of this process, you’ll feel fully prepared and supported to begin working with your new student.

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