As a tutor focused on providing virtual education to students, you’re bound to hear plenty about Millennials. However, the demographics for young people seeking interactive education sites are beginning to change. Now, tutors are just as likely to help members of Generation Z as they are Millennials, which means it’s time to understand the nuances of this up-and-coming cadre of learners.
Generation Z was born right around the year 2000, and they collectively make up a larger percentage of the population than Millennials. Yet like every generation, they have specific tendencies that set them apart from prior generations. Your role as an online tutor is to become an effective guide for Generation Z students, and the best way to start on your journey is to understand how to create educational environments and opportunities suitable to their ranks.
Tutoring Tips # 1. Embrace everything and anything tech.
The members of Generation Z are growing up in a world where tech is not novel; it’s an everyday part of their lifestyles. Many sleep with their smart phones on or beside the bed, and have no problem navigating the latest apps. For them, technology equates to convenience, and they are well-versed in jumping from platform to platform without losing focus.
Still, Generation Z does not like to linger long if they see no benefit. Consequently, you must use technology appropriately and deliberately. For instance, if you find that Skype is not working for a student, you must be willing and able to adapt to another forum, such as Google Hangouts. Have alternative technical options handy as back-ups, and get comfortable with them before your tutoring sessions begin. The last thing you want is to be schooled by an impatient Generation Z pupil who knows far more than you do about the system you are using.
Tutoring Tips #2. Explain your mission upfront.
Generation Z, like their mostly Generation X parents, are highly independent. As such, they appreciate being given all the information they need to know at the beginning of your journey together. Tutors of this emerging group would be wise to create outcome-based syllabi with clear milestones. That way, students will understand the expectations from the get-go, and buy into the process with a deeper understanding of their expectations.
At the same time, be ready to vary your routes at times. Tutoring, like driving from Point A to Point B, sometimes requires detours. As you get to know your Generation Z learners better, you can veer off when needed to help them cement their knowledge.If you do this correctly, you’ll still end up at the same destination.
Tutoring Tips #3. Add critical thinking to the curriculum and your repertoire.
Generation Z members often go for the “instant” answer rather than diving deeply into a subject. Not all will have limited critical thinking skills, but all of us will fall into this category in an age where we can google everything. No matter what topic areas you tutor your Generation Z students in, you may find yourself dealing with this issue. The best way to make sure it doesn’t negatively affect your teaching and your students’ learning is to deal with it head on.
As you create a plan for connecting with Gen Z students, consider the many “hacks” he or she might take to shorten the learning curve. Are all the hacks appropriate? What important issues do the hacks bypass? For instance, graphing apps make getting answers easy, but they do not educate students in why an equation is essential to know and apply. The job of an equations tutor is to give a social context for explaining this value. Head off shortcuts by being aware that tutored pupils may want to get a fast fix, and add homework or classwork items that provide more insightful substance to the subject.
Over time, you will begin to amass new and innovative ways to make teaching Generation Z flexible, reliable, and rewarding. Just take it one tutored student at a time, and be sure to write down all the discoveries you make as you become an amazing online tutor.