I'm a 4 stripe Brown Belt, and have been teaching kids classes and a adult classes a few times a week for the last5 years. Recently it is becoming more common that students are coming to me, because they like my teaching style, and inquiring about private lessons.
I have given a few, informally, over the years. What I really want is to be able to make it a quality, worthwhile, experience. Especially when they want to pay me!
How do you structure your private lessons? Any input is welcome.
Ask them if there's something they particularly wish to work on, and ask that they give you this a few days before so you have time to prep. The alternative is that as you see these students regularly, you are likely aware of the holes in their games, so base the lessons on that.
Sir Taps gave some great advice. I'd also add recommending that people split the cost of privates with friends. This will let you teach from a 3rd party point of view and you can still choose to "feel" what they are doing. This can also go a long way on keeping the mileage down on your body as you get busier and busier teaching classes, privates and doing your own training.
I teach a couple privates a week and when I first started I would ask the student what they would like to work on. If they do not have an idea, I can suggest something which I think will complement their game or an area of deficiency. I also like to give them bang for their buck so I like to plan in advance what we are working on. Sometimes the private takes a turn and we focus on something else mid lesson, but have a sound foundation to work from and refer to is always beneficial. Revising things from the previous lesson and progressing/sequencing things is also a method I use. The student I am teaching at the moment always likes to get some rolls in too, so I invariably get him in the position to attempt the technique/s we have been drilling. I am very passionate about giving a high quality service and getting the best out of my students, so I give lot's of feedback and make sure that they do the techniques properly. But too much information can be a hindrance also. Try and be precise and explicit, but concise also.
Have a few private students so I'll give my input:
Like everyone said first you ask what they want to go over. if possible watch them in class or a open mat and examine what they do and make notes of mistakes they are doing or things that could be smoother. If they don't have a clue and just say whatever you want to teach then you can use those notes. Alternatively you can roll w them for 5 min and then examine during the road where they are having issues. From that you can build your lesson around whatever you fine so they can link spots together easier. People rarely will have an issue w this as it lets them get immediate feedback and lets them see improvements immediately. At the end of the private give an extra 5-7min roll with you controlling the pace and leading back to the spots you went over in the private. This lets them connect things and see how its supposed to work.
Sir Taps gave some great advice. I'd also add recommending that people split the cost of privates with friends. This will let you teach from a 3rd party point of view and you can still choose to "feel" what they are doing. This can also go a long way on keeping the mileage down on your body as you get busier and busier teaching classes, privates and doing your own training.
Doing privates as a pair works wonderfully and allows the teacher to actually teach a lot better than if he were both instructor and uke.