The Duties and Responsibilities of a Tutor: A Complete Guide

Tutoring isn’t just “helping with homework.” Great tutors diagnose what’s really going on, set shared goals, design a plan, teach with clarity, build thinking skills, and keep motivation high—while tracking progress, prepping for assessments, partnering with families, and operating professionally. Here’s a practical, plain-English guide to what that actually looks like in day-to-day work.

1) Diagnose each learner’s needs and context

What it is: A clear understanding of the student’s current level, gaps, habits, motivation, and environment. You’re figuring out both the skill problem and the system problem.

How tutors do it

• Baseline check: Review recent quizzes, assignments, rubrics, teacher feedback, and past report cards.
• Quick diagnostics: Short skill probes (e.g., 8–12 problems targeting likely gaps), plus a reading/writing sample when relevant.
• Learning profile: How they prefer to learn (visual/step-by-step/interactive), attention patterns, and stamina.
• Context scan: Time available, study space, devices/internet, upcoming deadlines, accommodations (IEP/504), language considerations.
• Motivation & mindset: What matters to them (grades, confidence, program entry), what’s been frustrating, and what’s already working.

Mini example (math): A student “bad at algebra” actually misses fraction operations and negative-number rules. The first two weeks focus on those foundations while previewing upcoming class content so confidence doesn’t dip.

Quick diagnostic checklist (copy/paste)

• ☐ Collect last 3 tests + 2 assignments
• ☐ 15-minute skills probe (targeted)
• ☐ Student goals (their words)
• ☐ Parent/guardian perspective (if applicable)
• ☐ Environment & schedule constraints
• ☐ Accommodations or learning notes

2) Set clear, shared goals (SMART + motivational)

What it is: Turning “do better” into specific targets that the student buys into.

How tutors do it

• SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
• Milestones: Break the big goal into 2–4 stepping stones with dates.
• Success metrics: Grades, question types mastered, time-to-complete, error types reduced.
• Commitment contract: Light, positive statement of who does what (student/tutor/parent).

Goal ladder template

• Ultimate goal (by June 15): Raise math average from 67% → 82%.
• Milestone A (by Mar 15): Master linear equations (≥80% on topic quiz).
• Milestone B (by Apr 30): Word problems accuracy ≥75% (track with weekly set).
• Milestone C (by May 30): Two timed practice tests; ≥80% each.
• Ownership: Student completes 2x 20-min practice blocks/week; Tutor provides weekly homework set + feedback; Parent provides quiet study space Tue/Thu 7–7:30pm.

3) Design a personalized plan (scope, sequence, dosage)

What it is: A living roadmap that sequences skills, picks resources, and sets a realistic cadence.

How tutors do it

• Scope & sequence: List units/skills to cover (including back-fill topics).
• Cadence & dosage: e.g., 1×60-min session + 2 short home practice blocks/week.
• Resource stack: Textbook pages, curated videos, teacher worksheets, your own problem sets, spaced-repetition tools, online whiteboard.
• Homework design: Brief, targeted, w/ answer keys or worked examples.
• Habit hooks: Fixed times, visual trackers, and easy first steps.

8-week sample (algebra)

• Wk 1–2: Fractions/integers review → linear equations basics
• Wk 3: Multi-step equations & inequalities
• Wk 4: Word problems (translate ↔ algebra)
• Wk 5: Graphing lines (slope, intercepts)
• Wk 6: Systems of equations (substitution/elimination)
• Wk 7: Mixed review + mini-mock
• Wk 8: Timed practice + error-pattern cleanup

Plan-at-a-glance (template)

• Sessions: Tue 6–7pm (zoom/in-person)
• Practice blocks: Thu & Sun 20 minutes
• Tools: Desmos, Google Doc for notes, Quizizz for quick checks
• Checkpoints: Topic quiz end of Wk 2/4/6; mini-mock Wk 7

4) Deliver clear instruction with strong pedagogy

What it is: Teach in ways that actually stick, not just “explain again.”

How tutors do it

• I do → We do → You do: Model, guided practice, independent attempt.
• Worked examples & fading: Show full solution, then remove steps progressively.
• Scaffolding & cognitive load: One idea at a time; micro-steps for tricky parts.
• Retrieval & interleaving: Mix new items with spaced review so memory strengthens.
• Think-alouds: Show your reasoning moves (not just the answer).

Mini-lesson (5-step skeleton)

1. Hook: 1 simple problem they can solve now
2. Concept: define + visual/analogy
3. Model: a worked example with annotations
4. Guided practice: 2–3 items, student narrates
5. Independent: 3–5 items + quick debrief

5) Build thinking skills (beyond memorization)

What it is: Develop problem-solving, metacognition, and transfer so the student can handle unfamiliar questions.

How tutors do it

• Heuristics: Polya’s steps (understand, plan, execute, reflect); draw a diagram; make a table; test a simple case.
• Socratic questions: “What’s given?” “What do you need?” “Which strategy and why?”
• Self-explanations: Student describes steps in their own words.
• Error analysis: Turn mistakes into “what to do differently next time.”

Error log (template)

• Problem #: ___ | Error type: (concept/procedure/careless/time)
• What I thought: __________________________
• Correct idea: _____________________________
• New rule/check: ___________________________

Transfer move: After solving a type, present a novel, slightly different problem and ask, “Which parts transfer? What changes?”

6) Create a motivating, safe learning environment

What it is: Confidence, momentum, and psychological safety—because stressed brains don’t learn well.

How tutors do it

• Normalize struggle: “Confusion is data, not a verdict.”
• Micro-wins: Start with a task the student can definitely do; stack difficulty slowly.
• Language & tone: Growth-mindset micro-copy (“not yet,” “let’s try another entry point”).
• Rituals: “Win of the week,” quick reflection, stretch breaks.
• Energy management: Short sprints, planned pauses; vary task types.

Micro-motivation toolkit

• 2-minute “starter problem”
• 60-second celebrate-the-attempt
• Progress sticker/emoji on a shared tracker
• “Before/After” snapshots every 2–3 weeks

Reframe example: “A 50% means half the concepts are already in place. Our job is to identify the next 2 highest-leverage fixes.”

7) Track progress and adapt the plan

What it is: Use simple data to decide what to keep, change, or stop.

How tutors do it

• Formative checks: 3–5 exit tickets, weekly mini-quizzes, timed sets.
• Summative checks: Unit tests, teacher rubrics, mock exams.
• Dashboard-lite: A single page logging scores, error types, and time-to-complete.
• Adjustments: If word problems remain weak, add modeling tasks and sentence frames.

One-page progress snapshot (template)

• Week of: ______
• Focus: _________________________________
• Checks: quiz 78% (fractions), timed set 12/15 (systems, 13 min)
• Main errors: translating words → equations
• Wins: solved 3/4 two-step word problems unaided
• Next steps: add 2 modeling tasks; 1 timed set at 12 min

Parent summary (1–2 sentences):
“Average moved from 67% → 74% in four weeks. Biggest gains in linear equations; still refining word-problem translation—adding targeted practice this week.”

8) Prepare students for exams and major assignments

What it is: Strategy + stamina + calm. Mastery isn’t enough if test day goes sideways.

How tutors do it

• Blueprint map: Align practice to the exam’s weighting (don’t over-practice low-weight topics).
• Timing plan: Per-section minute budgets; mark “quick/medium/hard” passes.
• Deliberate practice: Short, timed sets; full timed mocks; review cycles.
• Test-day playbook: What to bring, warm-up routine, first-5-minutes checklist.
• Anxiety tools: Box breathing, “name the thought,” reset rituals, hydration/snacks.

Exam strategy checklist (copy/paste)

• ☐ Preview section; star easy wins
• ☐ Budget minutes per part; set a halfway time check
• ☐ Eliminate obvious wrongs; guess last 30 seconds if needed
• ☐ Flag and move—return on second pass
• ☐ Final 3 minutes: scan bubble sheet / thesis clarity / units

Major assignment scaffold (writing)

• Day 1: interpret prompt + outline
• Day 2: thesis + topic sentences
• Day 3: evidence + analysis
• Day 4: draft intro/conclusion
• Day 5: revise for clarity + citations

9) Communicate with parents/guardians and (when helpful) teachers

What it is: A transparent partnership that supports the student without micromanaging.

How tutors do it

• Cadence: Brief update after sessions (1–2 bullets) + monthly mini-report.
• Format: What we worked on, how it went, what’s next, how to support at home.
• Boundaries: Respect student privacy; loop in teachers only with consent and purpose.
• Escalation: If motivation, attendance, or wellbeing concerns arise, address early and compassionately.

After-session note (30-second template)

• Today: slope-intercept; solved 8/10 correctly
• Win: self-explained two problems with no prompts
• Homework: 15 min Thu/Sun (set in folder)
• Next: word-problem translation set on Tuesday

Teacher outreach (when appropriate)

• “We’re reinforcing linear equations and will align vocabulary to your rubric. Any upcoming tasks we should mirror in practice?”

10) Operate professionally and mentor the whole student

What it is: You’re a reliable pro and a role model. This duty rolls up admin, ethics, continuous improvement, and broader mentorship.

Professional standards

• Reliability: On time, prepared, transparent billing; clear cancellation policy.
• Documentation: Brief session notes, stored resources, versioned practice sets.
• Boundaries & safety: Appropriate communication channels/times; parent cc for minors; respectful conduct.
• Equity & inclusion: Accessible materials, culturally responsive examples, flexible modalities.
• Continuous learning: Track curriculum changes; refine materials; share best practices with peers.

Admin essentials (lightweight)

• Calendar with reminders; templated emails
• Shared folder per student (notes, keys, progress log)
• Reusable banks of problems by skill/tag
• Quarterly self-review: what improved outcomes? what to tweak?

Mentorship layer (beyond academics)

• Study systems: Time-blocking, Cornell notes, spaced repetition.
• Executive function: Planning backwards from deadlines; checklists; chunking.
• Decision support: Course selection, test choices, “try a club/internship” ideas.
• Character: Model curiosity, humility, and persistence—students copy what they see.

Professional & mentorship checklist

• ☐ Session planned (objectives, materials, timing)
• ☐ Notes logged + homework assigned
• ☐ Parent update sent (if applicable)
• ☐ Next session prepped (use progress data)
• ☐ Student leaves with one clear next step and a win

Putting it all together (example week)

• Mon: 60-min session (diagnosed fraction gap; taught with I-We-You; 3 exit tickets)
• Thu: 20-min home practice (auto-graded set; student logs time & score)
• Sun: 20-min home practice (mixed review; student updates error log)
• Tutor admin (10 min): Update progress snapshot; email parent 2-bullet summary; prep next plan slice

Common pitfalls (and better moves)

Final thoughts

Great tutoring is systematic and human. You diagnose, set goals, and plan. You teach clearly, build thinking skills, and create momentum. You measure progress, prep for the moments that matter, bring families into the loop, and carry yourself like a pro. Do these ten things consistently, and grades improve—but so do confidence, independence, and the student’s relationship with learning.