I Asked a Robot about Tutoring

Arboro Empowered
Jun 1
6 min read

Updated: Jun 3

by Jenna Gilfillan, M.Ed.

Co-owner of Arboro Empowered

I'm calling AI a robot because it's cuter. Sorry; not sorry.

AI - We can avoid it or embrace it, but it's not going anywhere. For me, I prefer a balanced approach of experimenting with it, testing its validity, and always ALWAYS questioning what I read. Out of curiosity, I wanted to know how 'the robot' would describe a strong tutoring program. I wanted to know how it would compare with pedagogical research and the psychology of learning. I also wanted to know if it matched up with Arboro's approach. Because I make a point to review algorithm-informed content with a critical-thinking lens, I realize that my results may be influenced by what AI has picked up as my own values. Knowing that, I always prompt with, " Show me your sources." In this case, I was happy to see that the primary source came from Stanford's NSSA Design Principles, a well-vetted and well-researched source in its own right.

Whew. At least AI knows I have standards.

I asked: "What are the 5 most important characteristics of high-quality tutoring?"

Here's what it said:

1. Personalized Instruction

High-quality tutors identify exactly what a student knows, where gaps exist, and what skills are ready to be learned next.

Signs of quality:

Ongoing assessment rather than guessing
Instruction tailored to the student's level
Flexible pacing
Individualized goals

A strong tutor doesn't simply reteach the classroom lesson—they target the specific barriers preventing progress.

2. Strong Relationships and Trust

Signs of quality:

Warm, encouraging interactions
Respect for the student's personality and learning style
Consistent attendance and reliability
Genuine interest in the student's growth

Research shows that student engagement and motivation often improve when a trusting relationship is established.

3. Explicit, Evidence-Based Teaching

Effective tutors don't just provide answers. They model thinking, explain concepts clearly, and gradually transfer responsibility to the student.

Signs of quality:

Think-alouds and demonstrations
Guided practice before independent work
Frequent checks for understanding
Use of proven instructional methods, particularly in reading and math

Students should leave sessions understanding how to solve problems, not just with completed assignments.

4. Immediate Feedback and Active Practice

Signs of quality:

Students doing most of the thinking and work
Immediate correction of misunderstandings
Opportunities to apply new skills repeatedly
Specific feedback ("Your evidence supports the claim, but let's strengthen the explanation.")

The most effective sessions are active, not lecture-based.

5. Consistency and Progress Monitoring

Even excellent tutoring has limited impact if it is sporadic or lacks clear goals.

Signs of quality:

Regular sessions
Measurable learning objectives
Tracking growth over time
Communication with families about progress

The strongest programs can answer the question: "How do we know this student is improving?"

Synopsis

Research on effective tutoring is remarkably consistent: the strongest tutoring programs focus less on flashy materials and more on how instruction is delivered.

Ask yourself, Does the tutor know where my child is now, have a plan for where they're going, and regularly show evidence of progress?

If the answer is yes—and the child enjoys working with the tutor—you've likely found a high-quality tutoring experience.

My hot take: Not bad, AI, not bad.

Since we know the data is solid- thanks, Stanford- let's break down how these show up at Arboro. For funsies, Lindsay and I went through each one and came up with an example from the past week that we got the chance to witness. Each drop-down has a little anecdote for ya.

PS- We use the term coaching when talking about tutoring- same thing, different connotation-- after all, Simone, LeBron, Messi all have coaches don't they?

Personalized Instruction at Arboro

The first step for every parent seeking tutoring is to fill out this form (It's called the First Step Form). You'll notice we ask about interests. Personality matches matter too!

An observation from last week: One of our partner specialists had her weekly appointment with one of her long-time students, a 9-year-old boy. He came in and was visibly having a hard day before arriving. He said to the specialist, "I just want to be outside!" She didn't hesitate and said, "Okay. Let's do our session outside." And off they went. You could see his frustration melting away as he stepped into Arboro's backyard.

Strong Relationships & Trust at Arboro

The mom of a teenage boy stopped me on her way out of a session, saying that they are going to take a break for a little while. She paused and said, "He's doing so well and has made a ton of progress." I told her, "That sounds like a good thing. Tutoring isn't supposed to last forever, just as long as needed." She smiled and said she couldn't believe that her son never once complained about coming to Arboro. We laughed about how the two of them were always having so much fun together, even when the topic was vowel patterns or comprehension questions. She told me she knows they will be back, even if it's to set up a way to maintain the progress. We agreed this was a success and said our bittersweet goodbyes.

Moments later, the tutor came downstairs after gathering her materials. She walked into the room with a pout on her face, saying, "I did my job too well!" (cue tears emoji). Here's the thing about being a good teacher. You want to make your students feel comfortable and ready to learn. By doing that, you make connections with them and build a trusting relationship. Before you know it, you adore the kids as much as they adore you. This is why, as teachers, we are often brought to tears at the grocery store when a former student who is all grown up tells us what they remember about our class (spoiler- it's never about the content and always about a feeling).

Explicit, Evidence-Based Teaching at Arboro

You may have noticed that Arboro doesn't have screens outside of coworking for grown-ups. This is because we have a play-based, multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning. We do not have a website tutor for us. We do not follow a one-size-fits-all program. We know that different learners need different approaches and we are ready for it. The human-to-human connection is key to solidifying learning, especially for kids. What you will see is students using manipulatives, playing learning games with their coach, and even writing on the ground with chalk or throwing a ball while working on their skill development.

Because our teachers use baseline and ongoing formative assesements to track the progress of their students, they are able to adjust and reteach as needed. Classroom teachers don't get to do this as much as they want to because they have more than a few students to support. Usually students benefit from both practice of grade-level material and a chance to fill in the gaps and strengthen the foundational skills that allow them to access grade-level understanding. We are constantly adjusting to the direct needs of our students.

Last week I observed one of ours students sessions and saw that their routine was to start with a game-version of a skill review that was just challenging enough to be engaging. It was a practice of the skill they worked on the previous week. The child knew this was the routine and she started right away, giggling at each success along the way. After that, they moved on to their new skill, in this case, reading fluency. The teacher pre-selected a passage that was based on the child's reading level. She used a highlighter strip as a tool to keep track of her place. I was grinning ear to ear knowing where this child was a few months ago compared to the reader I was listening to then. The best part is that the kid knows it too!

Immediate Feedback and Active Practice

Tutoring time is not for lecturing. A session should have a balance of student talk, coach talk, and practice time. The coach's talk will be concise and offer prompts and guidance without doing the work for the child. The student talk should involve describing their thinking and asking questions. The practice time might be quiet, unless it's game-based!

One of my favorite sessions to witness at Arboro is a strong-willed, charismatic 3rd grader who works best when she gets to the be teacher. The coach knows that when students can prove their understanding well enough to explain it to others, they are making their learning more concrete. Each session starts with a reminder that the student can help 'teach' but the coach gets to pick the focus area and is allowed to switch into coach mode at any time to offer guidance. They even came up with a funny way to switch 'modes' complete with sound effects and hand motions. There is no shortage of active learning and practice in their sessions and we can already see the growth she's making!

Thanks for reading along, and don't forget to read stuff humans write sometimes too!

Imperfect in Arboro,

Jenna