Tutor handbook

Setting Up for Success: Delivery Standards, Logistics, and Admin

The MatchMax service standard — punctuality, delivery-mode standards, reminder protocols, admin hour reporting, and the ultimate session checklist.

By MatchMax Team · 5 min read· Updated Oct 2026

The MatchMax Service Standard

Reliable. Clear. Prepared. Protective. Progress-focused.

Elite tutoring begins before academic content. Strong tutors signal trust through punctuality, preparation, professional boundaries, clean communication, and a structured lesson flow. Every tutor represents MatchMax and shapes our reputation, so your success is our success—and our success is yours.

Tutor Mindset: Weak Delivery vs. MatchMax Standard

Weak delivery	MatchMax standard
Arrives exactly on time or late	Arrives 5-7 minutes early
Starts with textbook immediately	Starts with rapport and a goal check
Explains for long stretches	Uses short explanations and active student work
Gives vague praise	Reports specific progress and bottlenecks
Works in private or unclear spaces	Uses open, visible, appropriate learning environments
Completes work for the student	Teaches process, structure, and independent thinking

Delivery-Mode Standards

Delivery mode	Required standard	Reason
Face-to-face / in-home	Arrive 5-7 minutes early	Absorbs minor delays and signals reliability
Face-to-face / in-home	Dress smart casual	Creates a professional first impression
Face-to-face / in-home	Conduct lessons in visible, communal spaces such as a dining table or open study area	Supports boundaries, comfort, and safeguarding
Face-to-face / in-home	Sit at a 90-degree angle to the student	Feels collaborative without being intrusive. Sitting 90 degrees removes the confrontational feeling of sitting directly opposite them, while avoiding the boundary intrusion of sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.
Online / Zoom / Meet	Avoid talking over a static PDF for more than 3 minutes	Maintains student attention
Online / Zoom / Meet	Keep the screen active with highlighting, typing, drawing, questioning, or worked examples	Shows thinking clearly and resets focus. Students disengage rapidly online.
Online / Zoom / Meet	Use reliable internet, ideally hardwired	Reduces lesson disruption
Online / Zoom / Meet	Use dual monitors where available	Separates student view, lesson content, notes, and resources
Online / Zoom / Meet	Use a drawing tablet when helpful	Makes live annotation faster and clearer
Online / Zoom / Meet	Use good lighting and clear audio	Builds trust and reduces fatigue

Diagram 1: Optimal Seating Arrangements

Bird's-eye view diagram. Green check: open living room / dining area, tutor and student seated at 90 degrees, materials shared without shoulder-to-shoulder crowding, space visible and professional. Red cross: closed bedroom / private room with desk, student and tutor side-by-side (shoulder-to-shoulder seating in a closed bedroom creates boundary ambiguity and should be avoided).

Diagram 2: Ultimate Online Tutor Setup

Isometric vector graphic of an ideal desk setup for online tutors. Label the dual monitors, drawing tablet, ethernet connection, headset, and lighting ring.

Logistics & The "Always-A-Step-Ahead" Mindset

Never assume a parent remembers the schedule. If they forget, you waste your time. Use these scripts to proactively manage your schedule:

The Day-Before Gentle Reminder

Hi [Parent], gentle reminder that [Student] has a lesson tomorrow at [Time]. I've already uploaded tomorrow's exercises to our shared Google Drive folder so they can take a look! 🫡

The 2-Hours-Before Reminder

Hi! See you and [Student] online in a few hours at [Time]. Please have [Specific Material] ready. 🙏🏻

Prepare and Organise:

Confirm the date, time, duration, location/link, and required materials.
Finish preparation and equipment checks 10 minutes before the start. Be ready online a few minutes early; arrive at in-person locations 5–7 minutes early.
Use a consistent Zoom link for each student/group and pin it in the chat so it's never lost.
Maintain a separate Google Drive folder for each student containing notes, resources, homework, and the Study Plan. Pin the folder link in the chat and restrict access to authorised people.

MatchMax Admin: Reporting Your Hours

While you manage the parent relationship, MatchMax manages the backend. To ensure billing is accurate and our commission is logged correctly, you are required to keep the MatchMax Admin updated during the crucial first two lessons.

Confirming Lesson 1 Date (Send to Admin)

Hi Admin, Lesson 1 for [Student Name] is confirmed for [Date] at [Time] for [Duration]. 🫡

Reporting Completed Lesson 1 (Send to Admin)

Hi Admin, Lesson 1 with [Student Name] completed successfully for [Number] hours! We are scheduling Lesson 2 now. 🙏🏻

Finalizing the Schedule: Once the regular weekly slot is locked in after the first couple of lessons, inform Admin of the recurring schedule so we can finalize the file.

The Ultimate Session Checklist

Before Session:

Time, location, and mode confirmed
Goal and previous notes reviewed
Diagnostic questions prepared
Materials/links ready
Smart casual dress met
Arrival/login completed early
Equipment checked
Safeguarding setup checked

During Session:

Rapport established
Goal stated in plain language
Retrieval warm-up completed
Modeling kept concise
Guided practice used
Independent attempt completed
Exact bottleneck identified
Online lesson kept interactive

After Session:

Next steps assigned
Diagnostic notes recorded
Parent update sent using Rule of 3
Materials uploaded to Drive folder
Next session confirmed
Admin notified of hours

Still stuck? Email contact@matchmax.hk or message the MatchMax team on WhatsApp. — MatchMax Team

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