If your tutorial class is longer than an hour it is useful to take a short break after 45 to 50 minutes.  It can be unsettling if some of your students do not return after this break. To ensure that you are not left wondering:  

·        Talk over the issue of breaks during the first class.  Is it useful to break part way through a tutorial given that most people have an attention span of about 40 minutes.  However, the class may prefer to keep going and leave half an hour early.  

·        Reduce the need for a break by providing plenty of variety during the class.  The session could involve student activity, a video or demonstration, written as well as verbal tasks and so on. 

·        Recognise that students may not return from a break if they feel the significant issues have been covered in the first part of the tutorial.  Arrange your sessions so that a summary or tying together of points occurs in the last session.

·        Give students the opportunity of leaving early by making sure they know how the session will be organised from the outset.  If you aim to discuss homework problems in the second hour, students who scored highly may decide to leave at this point.