How can I get my student to enjoy our tutoring sessions more?

I normally don’t like to share things about student’s home life but in this case I feel it is playing into my student’s behavior obviously fake names.

So I have been working about a year and half with Leo who is now in fourth grade. He is a very sweet boy but struggles a bit with his writing and staying focused (he may have ADHD or Asperger’s the family is not sure yet but I also feel some of it is just normal 9 year old boy stuff!) He has a sister who is now three Nancy. Nancy was sadly born a little early and during lockdown. She had trouble breathing and has a tube in her throat but through a lot of help and surgery she is doing much better.

The reason I am mentioning this is I can’t help but think there could be a bit of resentment or even anxiety that Leo may be feeling. It isn’t easy having your little sister go to the hospital a few times a year but it also isn’t easy sharing mom and dad with a new person especially when the new person requires so much attention and restrictions on your part (before he got vaccinated he had to be careful about going to visit friends because of exposing his baby sister to covid because even a cold can be deadly to her).

I have noticed these past couple of months (I meet with him on Saturdays for 2 and half hours) that he seems to be complaining about being sick or not feeling well. His parents have both reassured me it has nothing do with me (ie he isn’t doing this to get out of me tutoring because I am mean or anything) they think he may be doing it just to get a bit of attention. I usually play along and will ask him how he is feeling and suggest things like if he says his stomach hurts I will ask, “Did you eat any breakfast?” or “Sometimes that happens when we need to drink water, why don’t’ you get a glass and drink some and see if that helps you feel better while we are working and if not we can talk to your parents?”

I don’t like calling him out so to speak because a) what if he is telling the truth? And b)I feel like that will make him feel unheard and invalidated so I prefer to ask and offer suggestions and even go so far as to say, “How about we do our work but work a bit slower so we don’t feel overwhelmed?” or “Why don’t you take a few extra minutes at break time so you don’t feel worse?”

Today when I came over he was on the floor of his living room and his mom was getting him his stuff while his dad was making him get up as he said his stomach hurt. It worked out okay in the end and we had a good session (we did some word puzzles which he liked and I had him do mini writing exercises instead of a long one).

I am trying to think of ways to make him enjoy these sessions more so it becomes more of a fun part of the week and less of a chore for him. I know he likes mad libs so I want to get a new mad lib book. Does anyone have any other suggestions for games or activities related to languages art/writing that maybe he will enjoy?

Submitted March 25, 2023 at 05:35PM by phoenix103082 https://ift.tt/8RBnDJ3