3715. Do You Really Listen to Your Students?

 Some people think kids at schools should have tutors, not only teachers. Tutors with whom the kids could talk, aside the classroom, at individual tutorial sessions. 

I used to have this situation when I taught kids, before I began to teach English to adults, some sixteen years ago – I’ve been teaching English since 1993. I think that that thing of having a tutor is something good. Tutors chosen by the kids’ parents, though those ones may propose their opinion about who could their tutor be. 

And at these tutorial sessions the kids and their tutors may hold nice and friendly conversations. I’ve seen it, and it works, it does. Usually boys had male teachers as tutors, while also the other way round. 

For those sessions there should be confidence and familiarity, and that confidence is only gained by the adult tutor over time. You as a tutor cannot demand that confidence – you conquer it through actual interest and benevolence love. And affection. And when you know how to carefully listen to the boy or girl. 

Don’t interrupt them when he or she is telling something their concern – it may seem trifles, yet for the kid that is something so important. At the beginning of the session series it may be the adult who says more than the kid, but the tutor ought to be attentive to anything the kid says – also what he or she doesn’t say: silences may be so eloquent. 

I have seen schools run and begun by groups of parents where there existed such tutorial sessions. And I’ve also seen that those sessions could well be a vent valve for some kids: they were willing to vent their worries and unhappiness – also their joys may require some talking out. 

So as to finish: even those conversations may help the kids’ parents to have more conversations at home, for the kids wish to just be able to tell their stuff to their parents, sometimes too busy to have some relaxing time for listening to their children. Have a nice day.

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