Recently, I was able to hear Erin Gruwell speak about her students and her teaching methods. This was a fantastic experience and I got some great ideas for tutoring!

Meeting Erin!

One of the most important things Erin talks about is meeting your students on their level. For example, if I'm tutoring someone who knows a lot about music, I can incorporate music into the lesson to help them learn.

Here is a activity idea from Erin's teacher's guide for accomplishing this:

• Have your learner make a "coat of arms". Their sheild should include four spaces. These will include Favorite Things, Goals, Someone You Admire, and What Makes You Unique. In the center, have them put a picture of themselves, and at the bottom, have them write their "motto".

You should try to get to know your learner to see what they are interested in and what they enjoy doing. By making information relevant to their everyday lives, you can help them to be more enthusiastic about learning. Remember, every student has something unique that they can contribute to the learning process, so look for what makes them special!