How do I build trust while still remaining on the side of the teacher when questions or frustrations arise?
Let your students know that you are empathetic; you’ve been in their shoes. However, as a tutor, you have to be loyal to the teacher because it is the teacher who hands out the grade. Encourage students to visit their professors during office hours to clarify questions. Explain the reasons for English grammatical conventions or a professor’s methods of grading. Since instruction cannot take place when students are frustrated, these issues must be addressed. I don’t deal with their frustrations in a flippant way, but I don’t coddle them either.
