This is part art, part science. In the beginning it is important to learn to relate to the student. This goes for both personality and what they need in a tutor. I ask them about themselves and about the subject they are having trouble with. I ask about all previous experiences with the subject, and use that information to formulate an approach that matches where this student is at in regards to the subject - how they feel towards it and also their skill level.

Building a relationship with the student, understanding their personality, learning style, and sentiment towards the subject. Building trust with the student and being positive and encouraging in the learning process.

I think the first couple sessions should be focused on getting to know the student on a personal level, understanding their level with the subject, and what they want to get out of the tutoring. This sets the groundwork for progress and success in the future.

I often prompt my students to repeat back to me the rules, processes, concepts, etc., to watch them check themselves and start to feel how it is to teach themselves. I also try to orient the student's thoughts to the most important parts of the concepts that they should know - in concise and clear bullets - so that they can refer to that as they work the material on their own. I will suggest other resources or techniques that have worked for me in the past in learning the material.

Staying positive on my end helps motivate the student. Also, that trust and relationship that we have tried to build from the beginning helps keep the student motivated. If they know the tutor is engaged, there for the right reasons, and is genuinely invested in helping them succeed, they will be more inclined to stay engaged.

I would bring the concept back to its simplest form and make sure the student understands it from that level. I would have the student do practice at that level and repeat back to me the process, and then gradually add on complexity. Also, I would reassure the student that the concept is something they will grasp eventually or inform them of the amount of time it takes to grasp the concept - put some context on it for them so that they understand the difficulty of what they are dealing with and that it's ok to not understand it all in the moment.

I first ask what their learning style is - oral, visual, audio, etc. Then I'd proceed catering to their style. That might mean me reading a passage and them summarizing it back. Or them reading a portion silently and me asking them questions about it afterward.

First, building a relationship with the student and understanding their goals in the tutoring sessions. Also, lots of practice and application during the sessions, and less "teaching."