So I may be in the minority here, but it seems to me like if you’re tutoring in your living room, you can act like you’re in your living room. Let your flag fly, so to speak. What’s the point of pretending you’re in the boardroom office and wearing a tie? That’s like putting up those fancy zoom backdrops to look snazzier. (Dude, I know you’re not in front of the golden gate bridge!) Teens have a radar for the artificial that is honed like no other. If you’re BS-ing them, they know it immediately and will shut down faster than you can say, “The San Francisco Treat!”

Online tutoring is an opportunity to give them a flavor of your domestic life, and see the ‘human’ instructor. Show them the picture of you shaking Hilary Clinton’s hand, the bowl your son made for you out of paper mache. Tell them about that ’97 trip to Machu Picchu. That doesn’t mean that needs to dip into the land of distraction, particularly with those with lower attention spans…. You may need to strike a balance. But you’re at home. Be Cool.