Teaching and tutoring
Plan a tutoring session from recent work
A good session plan starts with what the learner actually did. Gather recent work and questions, choose one goal, and plan a short diagnostic question that shows their reasoning before you teach. Then pick practice that matches the mistakes you saw and end with a quick check.
A text to start with
I tutor [subject] for a [grade or level] learner. Here are their recent mistakes and questions: [work samples and questions]. Plan a [length] session with one goal, one sample problem, a diagnostic question that asks them to explain their thinking, three practice items in rising difficulty and a closing check. Mark any step where you are guessing at their reasoning.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Tutoring session plan
Learner (first name or initial): [ ] Session date and length: [ ] Evidence from recent work: [ ] Session goal: [ ] Sample problem: [ ] Diagnostic question: [ ] What the answer would tell me: [ ] My current guess about their reasoning: [ ] Practice 1 (easiest): [ ] Practice 2: [ ] Practice 3 (hardest): [ ] Closing check problem: [ ] What the learner said during the diagnostic: [ ] Goal for next session: [ ]
Look for guesses about reasoning
A wrong answer rarely shows why it was wrong. Check whether the plan assumes a cause, such as a misunderstood rule, without evidence from the learner's own explanation. The diagnostic question should come before any teaching and should ask the learner to talk through a step. Confirm that practice items match the errors in the samples and not a generic unit review. Compare the session length with the number of tasks. One goal is enough, so cut extra topics. The closing check should use a new problem, not one already solved together.
Ask another agent to check the result
Read this plan and the work samples. Flag every place the plan assumes why the learner made a mistake without seeing their reasoning. For each, suggest a question that would reveal the actual thinking. Check that the practice matches the samples and that the closing check uses a new problem.
Adjust the plan during the session
Open with the diagnostic question and listen before correcting anything. If the learner's explanation differs from the guess in your plan, change the practice items to fit it. Write down what they said, because it shapes the next session. End with the closing check and note which items they got right without help. Use those notes to set the goal for next time.