As I’m sure all the tutors out there already know, a huge part of the job involves being extremely organised.  I have worked for The Tutor Trust for almost two years now and have picked up a few little things that always help me on assignments!

1. DBS

ALWAYS remember your DBS! Every single session, every single school – take your DBS. I keep mine in a plastic pouch along with all of my tutoring resources, so that when I come to select the material to take to a session, I always remember to take my DBS along too.

2. Lesson Plan

Some assignments will require you to plan out lessons at home, whilst others will be planned by the school. However, whichever one it is, it’s always a good idea to give yourself a clear understanding of what you will go over in a session, and what you would like to achieve by the end of the session. If you are required to plan a lesson then you can follow the structure taught in training and take this with you. If you are not required to plan, the chances are that after the introductory talk or first session, the school will provide you with resources such as a workbook or worksheets. It is worth going through these resources and having a good idea of what you want to cover in each session. After all, how effectively can you teach something if it is the first time you have laid eyes on it?

3. Extras

You should definitely take extra pens, pencils, paper, worksheets and perhaps equipment like rulers, or a calculator, should you need them in the session – students have a wonderful habit of ‘forgetting’ everything they need for a session, and ensuring you have spares will mean you can spend more precious time on teaching and learning, and less time hunting down equipment.

4. Your phone

Although you shouldn’t be using your phone during a session, it really can come in handy. I know we all have our phones glued to our hands these days so this might seem silly, but your phone probably helps with your tutoring more than you know, and it’s worth being aware of this just in case you ever find yourself without it. It’s a watch, allowing you to turn up to your session on time – I would suggest turning up 15 minutes before your session where possible. Where it’s not possible to turn up 15 minutes early, and in fact you might be late, your phone is useful in that you can call the school to let them know, and call the Tutor Trust office too.

Your phone can also help with things such as live travel updates, and maps; perhaps it’s your first time visiting an area and you’re a little unsure! I also find it useful for updating my register as soon as I leave the school – you can access the spreadsheets on your phone if you have the Google sheets app installed, and it really helps with keeping on top of registers. If for whatever reason you are without a phone, make sure you are organised before a session – contact details written on a sheet of paper, bus timetables, maps… phones do a lot for us these days. Always remember though – phones are wonderful tools for before and after the tutoring session, but NOT during!