Making The Most of Your Personal Tutor

Every taught programme student at Greenwich is assigned a Personal Tutor. Your Personal Tutor is one of the most important relationships that you have at University as they are your academic guide throughout your degree. Like any relationship, the best ones rely on both parties putting in the work. 

So, what can you expect your Personal Tutor to do for you? 

• Engage with regular group and/ or one to one meetings with you. 

• Be a friendly, judgement-free source of academic and personal guidance. 

• Be accessible and available to you. 

• Refer you to support services, policies and regulations as appropriate. 

• Support you throughout your entire student journey. 

What can you do to make the most out of your Personal Tutor? 

Prepare 

• Attend scheduled meetings on time and respond to any communication in a timely manner. 

• Come to your sessions with a plan for your when your assessments are due and what steps you need to take to complete them. 

• Attend your sessions with a clear idea of what you would like to discuss and get out of the discussions. 

• Bring examples of feedback from assessments so your Personal Tutor can get an idea of where you need help. 

• Personal Tutors are often very busy so ensure any requests for support are given in advance, particularly if you are working to a deadline! 

Engage 

• Have an open mind to take on your Personal Tutor’s advice and be prepared to follow through on their recommendations. 

• Ask questions and join in discussions. 

• In group settings, allow others the space to participate. 

• Remember that your Personal Tutor is there to support you so make the most out of your time with them. 

• If you are having personal issues that are affecting your academic studies, your personal tutor can support and signpost you.

Reflect 

• Reflect on your learning style and let your Personal Tutor know early on so they can best support you. If you are not sure of your learning style, Teach.com offer an easy explanation of some of the different types here.  

• Be honest about your experiences and don’t be shy to ask for help if you need to. 

• Make notes in the session and use them to make yourself a development plan. You can find guidance on how to make a development plan here. 

• Review your notes, plans and any recommendations before the next meeting. 

If you haven’t met your Personal Tutor, or don’t know who your Personal Tutor is, ask your Programme Leader (or, if you don’t know who that is, ask in your School office). 

The University has expectations for their Personal Tutors. You can read up on what you can expect from them in the University’s Personal Tutoring policy here.