School On Wheels: Tutor University
Practical guide for tutors to meet students where they are.
Every student brings unique strengths, experiences, and needs to their learning. At School on Wheels, diverse learners may include students with different learning styles or paces, English Learners, students with IEPs, and students experiencing trauma, stress, or instability.
Keep these guiding ideas in mind during every tutoring session:
- Meet students where they are: Start with what they already know.
- Build relationships first: Connection supports learning.
- Be flexible and patient: Progress may look different for each student.
- Focus on strengths: Notice and celebrate what students can do.
Tip: You don’t need to diagnose, just notice, adapt, and respond with care!
How to use these resources.
Use the tabs below to better understand your student and find practical, flexible strategies. There’s no need to read everything at once; just start where it feels most helpful.
ASU Neurodivergent Learners Bundle (NanoCourses): a series of short courses that explain what neurodiversity is, how to support, and why neurodiversity should be recognized and celebrated.
Learning Styles: A Guide- Help identify your students’ learning styles and provide an overview of different ways students process and retain information.
We Are Teachers: Practical strategies for connecting new learning to what students already know. Especially helpful for English Learners and students who benefit from added context and structure.
Tutoring.k12.com: Articles focus on developing organization, focus, and motivation.
EducationCorner.com: A collection of practical strategies tutors can use to help students build motivation, persistence, and study habits.
Reading Rockets: Evidence-based Instructional and SEL Strategies that support academic learning and social-emotional development.
Reading Rockets: Strategies to enhance memory: Practical techniques to help students strengthen memory and improve information retention.
CHADD: Common classroom behavioral support strategies, organized from least to most intensive.
Child Mind Institute: Educator-focused guide explaining how ADHD can affect students in learning environments and how adults can support student success.
Understood.org: ADHD tutor-friendly resources designed to help adults understand ADHD and apply effective, compassionate strategies during learning sessions.