V. Tutor Self-Care

Tutoring is often fun and rewarding; however, there may be times when you feel frustrated or upset about events during a session, or about a behavioral problem you must address. As a college student, you have many courses and responsibilities, so time management can also become difficult. In these situations, it is normal to feel worry or stress. Here are some tips for what to do when this happens.

• Talk to your program leader, another tutor, or faculty about any tutoring issues you are facing. You are not the only one to face challenges in tutoring, and you may be able to gain some great feedback on how to solve the problem.
• Reserve at least 30 minutes each day to exercise, stretch, meditate, or reflect. You’ll feel more refreshed and recharged.
• Spend time with friends, even if this involves study groups, the gym, a coffee break, or a meal.

Ultimately, you must feel good in order to be able to tutor and mentor someone else. In tutoring, you’ll have good days and bad days. If the bad days begin to outnumber the good, talk to someone about it. Most problems have solutions, but sometimes it takes teamwork to solve them. We’re here to help you to be a great tutor and to enjoy what you do.