At some point you may need to provide at-home tutoring assistance for your children. It may be when they move from middle to high school. It may be when behavioral issues are getting in the way of them learning in school. It may be because the school can't provide them with the right placement.
All children are different when it comes to learning. However, sometimes it's useful to have a few tips and suggestions to fit into your tutoring/teaching interactions with your child. You can try these whether you homeschool, or just help them with their homework.
Jumping
If they're having trouble with their spelling words, have them jump with each letter. Jumping helps memory.
Quiet Places
If your child easily distracted by noises, other kids in the house, etc., be creative about where you tutor. Try under the table, inside a box, in a closet.
Oxygen To The Brain
If they're not paying attention, or are getting frustrated, have them do 10 jumping jacks, or five silly toe touches, or six weird sit-ups to "get blood to their brain" and to help them think.
Motion
Incorporating motion into learning activities helps some children. Roll a ball between the two of you as your child spells words. Have her bounce a ball as she recites math facts. Have her alternate standing on one foot then the other as she recites a poem.
Raise Your Hand, Touch Your Nose
To help keep your child focused when you read out loud. Give them listening assignments. Raise your hand every time you hear the word "mouse." Or, touch your nose when you hear the word "run."
Reading Out Loud
Take turns between you and your child reading out loud. Each read a page . . . a paragraph . . . a sentence . . . a word. It makes it slightly silly and keeps them focused.
Newspapers, Recipe Books, Canned Foods
Don't always read to them or with them from books. Read captions under photos in the newspaper, read a recipe, have them sound out the ingredients on the back of a can.
Let Them Be Teacher
Let your child be the teacher. Have them give you spelling words or math problems.
Reward Them For What They DON'T Know
Tell them they'll get a point (or hug) for every word they don't know the meaning of. Or for every math problem they get wrong. (This reminds them that you love them even when they're not perfect.)