What to do when you don't know how to answer a student's question during a lesson
Written by Daphne Lim - Updated
Your student asks you a difficult question that even you don't have an answer for. You remember reading about it somewhere but cannot be sure about the right answer. What do you do?
- Be confident. You were chosen for qualities that enable you to be a good tutor and role model. However, having confidence also means having the courage to admit you don't know an answer. Be honest with your student; tell them you'll need to do your homework too. And then follow through. They may actually feel better knowing you're not perfect.
- Use every opportunity as a teaching moment. Your role as a tutor doesn't have to be limited to imparting knowledge - as important as it is. In situations like this, you may want to walk your student through the steps of self-directed learning. Developing these crucial skills will be beneficial for the student for life. Maybe you can google the answer together during the class!
- Ask for help. You can ask other tutors in you state channel on Slack if you're really confounded by a question!
If you have further questions, feel free to send a message to #help channel on Slack, or send an email to contact@kisacademics.com
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