I had a tutor for Accounting and Economics ($40/hr!).
After 3 months (and a hefty $2500 later) intensive tutoring I managed to get a grade of 90%, which was the best of the class.
Didactic techniques I found helpful:
- careful and in-context explanation
- explanation of the origin of concepts and how they work together
- calmness
- repeated (prepared!) exercises
- acceptance to any and any amount of questions
- correct agreeements between student and tutor so they both know what to expect of each other
- tutor preparing each of his lessons from A to Z, including answers to the questions
- alternative exercises
- repetition of principles
- explanation of everything I ask
- questioning the student of the principles during lessons so that he is reminded of them and show him where they fit into the picture of the current exercise
- explain everything (practice, theory) on paper and give this to the student so he can keep it and consult it on his own time; this is important to absorb the material.
- making the student do pre-existing exams way before the exams start (if he can get access to those - they are a big help!), going over all the questions first and make the exam together, later reviewing it
- re-iterate everything I can/can't do until I can do it and I understand it
Didactic techniques I didn't find helpful:
- yelling
- calling me dumb and saying "any kid could figure this out" (this only worsens my performance to a freezing halt)
- surprise tests
- almost getting mad at me when I asked for a delay of payment
- doubting my performance
I will always remember what a successful medical student (now doctor) always told me:
"The human brain does not have enough information with a mere blueprint, in the same way a student does not have enough information to pass a course by being exposed to a subset of the matter (e.g. powerpoint slides). It needs all the information it can get - it needs the full picture in order to successfully grasp (new) concepts".
P.S. Mindmaps work well for me, but not for everyone.