Month: February 2021

What is the difference between a tutor and a mentor?

One of our most commonly asked questions is the difference between a tutor and a mentor. Whilst both our professional tutors and mentors are motivated by the same goal – to improve results – their methods can be different.

 

Tutors are focussed on both specific content, be it GCSE or iGCSE, A-Level, IB or Early Years tuition. Although sessions are designed to improve study skills, they are specific to the subject being studied.

 

Academic mentors on the other hand are educational chameleons; not focussed on specific content, rather, the skills, techniques and mindsets responsible for academic success across the board. Sessions are more holistically designed to help a child develop and exceed their educational goals, and can take place over the long-term or in the lead up to exams.

 

However, the line is often blurred. Our professional tutors care deeply about a student’s welfare, and will commonly suggest methods to ensure they are studying in a healthy and happy way. It is their responsibility to manage workloads, and spot when a student is working too hard, or not hard enough.

Who benefits from mentoring?

Learners of all ages can benefit from time with a professional mentor.

 

At Early Years level, our mentors will consider early learning techniques, building a foundation for future success by setting in motion lasting learning habits which will ensure they are ready for the challenges to come.

 

For older students, such as at GCSE or A-Level, pressure is very high, and students are challenged consistently to perform highly amid competing deadlines. A mentor will focus on organisation, scheduling and goal-setting in order to improve a students capability, and ultimately improve results in the long-term.

 

At the highest level of tuition we offer, university undergraduate or postgraduate, a professional mentor can help you make the most out of your higher education. From making sure meet deadlines effectively, to perfecting your research techniques and writing a bibliography, Think Tutors mentors are au fait with the challenges of university life and practiced at getting the best out of each student.

Who are Think Tutors’ mentors?

Think Tutors utilise a close network of the best professional tutors and mentors anywhere. Speaking many different languages and with experience at some of the world’s most elite institutions, our mentors are practiced communicators and know how to drive results for all the students they work with. Please contact us for more information on mentoring, tuition, homeschooling, admissions advisory and more.

Finding Study-Life Balance

In addition to opening presents and watching Netflix, we recommend 2-3 hours of study and learning a day over the holiday. This can be divided into smaller sessions to help make things easier and more palatable, depending on your learning style.

 

One hour, for instance, can be used to review your previous learning and write fresh summaries: this will save you both time and worry after the break when others have forgotten everything they did before the holiday.

 

Another hour can be spent on learning something new. This can take the form of reading new books and watching documentaries or even indulging in something cultural like watching a play or attending a classical concert. To maximise these activities try composing a newspaper style book or music review. This will help to consolidate your learning and give you the chance to vent about having to do work over the holiday!

Online Apps and Games

There are countless games and apps that you can use to make learning easier and more enjoyable.

 

For the classic quiz-like approach, we recommend using Quizlet, which enables you to create various kinds of flashcards. For GCSE subjects we recommend the EdPlace revision app, which boasts thousands of interactive tutorial worksheets, assessments and revision practice papers. For much younger learners there are hundreds of unique games and apps available, such as Play and Learn Engineering, which allows you to build robots and explore things like gravity.

 

If you want extra suggestions for something more tailored to your own age and subject, get in touch and Think Tutors can direct you to something specialised.

The Importance of Practice

People say that practice makes perfect for a reason. Human cognition is hardwired to recognise patterns and prioritise remembered activities, so the more you do something the more natural and effortless it becomes. This is as true of learning a musical instrument as it is a foreign language or memorising physics formulas. As with so much in life, you get out what your put in. Take the time over the holiday to practice whatever needs practicing and it will pay massive dividends in the new year. We recommend diving your practice into 20-minute sessions, because developing new skills requires heightened attention span and mental effort. By focussing your efforts into multiple shorter sessions with small breaks in between you’ll be able to optimise your effectiveness and efficiency.

How Can Think Tutors Help?

One of the major challenges to effective studying and learning over the holiday is the relative lack of structure and support compared to being in school. Think Tutors can help with that.

 

Our academic mentors and professional tutors are available over the holiday to help with everything from supervised sessions to creating learning schedules. We can provide    assistance and accountability to help students and families achieve their learning goals.

 

At Think Tutors, we provide private tuition, mentoring and education advisory from Younger Years, ISEB Pre-Test, to A-Level and IB. Contact us if you would like to find out more.