Suggestions for tutoring an unmotivated 10th grader in biology?

Tell the truth and do it quick. Take the kid to Jack in the box.

point out all the people who didn't do good in school. Then ask your kid do you want to do good in school or learn to say

" Do you want fries with that"

It is a fact that you only need to do three things in life to avoid poverty

pass high school

don't get married until your 25

And don't have children until your25.

It is a fact that 85 % of the people who do these three things have a good life above the poverty leavel

.

If you can ask us yahoos about help you can ask google.

just look up school home work help. you will find lots of it.

I wish the best for your child and you are doing good looking for help

While I was in college I tutored a high school student in various subjects.

To be honest, sometimes it helps to be straightforward and say this stuff is boring for some people and try to find something other than the material itself as a motivator. Yeah, it would be nice if everyone wanted to learn for the sake of learning. But that's not the case. Point out that doing well on an upcoming test leads to doing well in the class and school and helping with college, etc.. Sometimes "you just gotta what you gotta do."

My tutee was a smart kid. Not as in he earned really good grades but in that he was intellectually mature. He had an understanding of the world and current events which some people my own age didn't have at the time. He had no interest in chemistry and he knew it. He also felt that the had no interest in studying the sciences in college. So there was nothing I was going to do with the material to motivate him, and I tried. But what did motivate him was the fact that a good grade would help get what he wants. And the fact that he liked to get good grades. Sometimes the grades once he started doing better, were addictive. And sometimes it was enough to say, "Look, if you want Y, you have to do X."

What state are you in? Most states have a list of preapproved texts books which teachers have to use. Find other biology books on this list and try to check one out.

I was an education major so when I was tutoring I would get a list of the textbooks the kid used and go to the college of edu. library at my university and check copies of the books he had. This helps in a few ways, the first is that you have a copy to review and learn from before it actually comes up. I know you've had this information before, but it's probably been some time. Secondly, it helps when you're working from the book. Passing the book back and forth is time consuming and makes things more difficult.

Try to get a copy of a different biology text book to supplement the book you're currently using., Try to stay ahead of the student by at least a couple of days. Trying to learn it at the same time you're helping the tutee is inefficient. If you already know the material it will be much easier to explain.

Good luck

While I don't have experience with 10th graders, I am currently a tutor for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. The trick is like Sweet said...relate the questions to what they are interested in, and make the sessions fun.

If you have to make the sessions silly....making up stuff that would totally NOT happen, but will make your tutee laugh and

understand at the same time helps immensly. If your 10th grader isn't interested in what you have to say, as well as doesn't understand, it makes it harder. Make him WANT to come back to you to learn. A good idea would be to somehow contact his teacher, and find out what is happening in class up to a week prior, that way you can do some research prior, and have what you want to do planned out ahead of time. Hope this works!!! Good luck

Look outside your window. Find what your are trying to teach about in nature. The biology of sex and all it's various factors, the why's, how's and maybes of evolution, and the natural warfare of insects, animals, fish, etc. are all subjects that always interested me. Ohh and the genome code of dogs that alows them to change so quickly over just a few generations. That is really cool too. So much to learn and enjoy. Hard to pack much of it into one class over even a year.

Thinking about it further, animals are a great place to start teaching biology, dogs, and other pets. You can study the theory of evolution, genomes, internal organs, comparisons to plants and differences between humans, plants, and animals. Then drift into classification systems of plants and use a possible plant of interest say pot or the all irritating varieties of ivy plants. Insects and dinasaurs are normally pritty enjoyable subjects for guys. hmmm I think I should be a biology teacher...it's a really fun subject.

Why don't you enroll in online classes? The tutors are virtual, but it is all "on your own time" which means you are flexible to do your work when and where you desire, and it is far less expensive than hiring a private tutor. Usually they are very good about getting back with your emails, and you can post work online and get feedback from other kids.

Yeah, I understand your frustration, and at the 10th grade level, I'm surprised that biology, is taught. Back in the stone ages, I had to take Biology AP in 12th grade.

I've not had any experience with this site, but a lot of people have spoken highly of the website:

http://www.etutor.com/

I hope this is helpful for you. Sorry I can't offer anything more insightful.

My background is bioE. If you feel like physics oriented like me was, try read text books titled like biological science that has some biophysical chemistry or physics, engineering application in it. Also try read shrodinger's "what is life" written by physicist with his view on biological science.

relate it to things he is interested in... see computers and cells question from earlier. are there any specific topics you are covering?