Spending Time in Prayer with your student

Why Prayer Matters in Tutoring

As a Christian tutor, you have the privilege of offering not only academic support but spiritual encouragement. Prayer can help students feel safe, known, and supported by God. It also provides opportunities to model faith in a gentle, respectful way. For some of our students, Project Purpose is the only environment that they experience prayer.

Teaching a Student to Pray

Here are some tips on teaching your student to pray:

A. Model Prayer Naturally

Children learn prayer the same way they learn language — by hearing it modeled.

Model short, simple prayers such as:

• “God, thank you for helping us today.”

• “Lord, help us focus and do our best.”

Your goal is to demonstrate that talking with God is personal and normal.

B. Teach a Student What Prayer Is

When introducing prayer, use simple explanations:

• Prayer is talking to God as a loving caregiver.

  God loves us and wants to hear from us.

• God always hears us, even when He doesn’t answer the way we expect.

  This helps build trust rather than disappointment.

• We can use simple, honest words when praying.

  God isn’t looking for fancy or memorized language — He wants our heart.

  You can share with students that prayer can be short, whispered, silly, emotional, or quiet. All are welcome.

C.  Simple Prayer Models to Teach

You can use a prayer model to help students structure their thoughts. Choose a model appropriate for age and attention span.

The Prayer Hand (Great for Kids K–6)

Each finger reminds us of something to pray for:

1. Thumb – Praise: Tell God how good He is.

2. Index Finger – Thanksgiving: Thank God for blessings.

3. Middle Finger – Intercession: Pray for others.

4. Ring Finger – Petition: Ask God for help in your own life.

5. Pinky- Confession: Say sorry for wrong choices. This is a simple visual tool you can use again and again.

The P.R.A.Y. Model (Simple for Any Age)

• P – Praise: “God, You are…”

• R – Repent: “I’m sorry for…”

• A – Ask: “Please help…”

• Y – Yield: “Your will be done.”

ACTS Model (Great for Middle/High School)

• Adoration

• Confession

• Thanksgiving

• Supplication (asking)

Give students an example such as:“God, I adore You for Your power. I confess I’ve been frustrated. Thank You for my tutor. Please help me do well on my test.”

How to Incorporate Prayer into Tutoring Time

Here are practical ways to integrate prayer:

A. Start With Prayer (30 seconds)

“God, thank You for this time. Help us learn and focus.”

B. End With Prayer

“Lord, thank You for our time today. Please help ____ with the things ahead of them this week.”

C. Make Prayer a Routine

Consistency helps students feel safe. A short prayer at the start and end becomes part of your rhythm.

D. Pray When Specific Things Come Up

When a student shares a worry, fear, or difficult moment, you may ask:

• “Would you like me to pray for you about that?”

  
  

E. After you have made it a routine to pray together, ask them if they would like to pray.

How to Ask a Student if They Want to Pray

Here are safe, low-pressure phrases:

• “Would you like to pray about that together?”

• “If you want, I can say a prayer for that.”

• “Would you like to pray, or would you like me to pray?”

Students can always say no. If they do:

• Respect it

• Smile

• Move on naturally

  
  

Asking a Student to Pray for You

• Sometimes students may feel hesitant to talk to God on their own behalf, but may have more confidence asking for their tutor, and therefore slowly building their confidence in approaching God in prayer.

• You can ask your student to say a brief prayer for something in your life, such as, "I have an important meeting at work tomorrow that I am nervous about. Can you ask God to help me be calm and focused during my meeting, please?" 

Memorizing a Prayer Together

Memorizing prayers can give students a sense of comfort and confidence. Here are a few you can use:

A Prayer for My Friends

Lord Jesus, Thank you for my friends, for the games and fun that we play, for the secrets we share, for the laughs and giggles, for the good times and bad. Please help me to be a good friend to them. Amen.

A Morning Prayer

You are good and wise, I will praise you when I rise. Jesus, hear this prayer I send. Bless my family and my friends. Jesus, help my eyes to see, All the good you send to me. Jesus, help my ears to hear- Calls for help from far and near. Jesus, help my feet to go- In the way that You will show. Jesus, help my hands to do- All things loving, kind, and true. Jesus, guard me through this day-In all I do and all I say. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Do’s and Don’ts for Prayer in Tutoring

✔ Do

• Invite, never pressure.

• Model gentle, sincere prayer.

• Keep prayers age-appropriate.

• Respect every student’s comfort level.

✘ Don’t

• Force participation.

• Criticize or correct a child’s prayer.

• Turn prayer into a long sermon.

• Use prayer to shame behavior.

Additional Resources

• How to Help a Child Pray (Desiring God) - https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-help-a-child-pray

• Teaching Kids to Pray - https://childrensministry.com/teaching-kids-pray/

Final Encouragement for Tutors

Prayer is a powerful gift. When you pray with a child, you are:

• Planting seeds of faith

• Modeling trust in God

• Showing them they’re not alone

• Helping them develop lifelong spiritual habits

Your gentle presence and simple prayers can shape a child’s understanding of God for years to come.