What Are the Duties of a Tutor?

By Staff Writer | Last Updated August 4, 2015

The duties of a tutor include providing students with academic support during assigned hours, developing academic materials and lessons relevant to the coursework, and collaborating with instructors to ensure the lesson materials are appropriate for the grade level or student’s skill set. In an academic setting, a tutor may also be responsible for greeting guests at the front desk or answering phones in the tutoring center.

The most important and influential duty of a tutor is to work one-on-one with students or groups of students to teach and guide them through homework assignments and test preparation. A tutor may need to provide examples of how to complete algebra problems, construct essays or diagram sentences. Tutors specializing in the sciences may guide students through lab assignments by demonstrating scientific concepts and lab safety.

Many times, tutors also assist with time management strategies for students who are struggling to balance schoolwork with other responsibilities. For example, a tutor may help a student create a calendar of deadlines and compile a priority list for assignments.

Tutors working in a tutoring center typically keep records of students’ progress, administer practice tests and assessments, and assign practice work for students to complete outside of the tutoring session.