The Time gap

When I work with students I am cognizant of the fact that I have a limited amount of time to convey a math concept or idea.  A student will ask a question or may make a misstep in solving a problem and I know that once I start talking I only have their attention and open-mindedness for a short amount of time.  This is for a number of reasons.  One reason is that some students just want to know the answer to the current question that they are working on and not necessarily anything more.  Another reason is some students have limited patience and/or attention span.  A third reason is that some students can get bogged down by too much information.  So what is a tutor to do?  I am careful to choose my words and examples carefully so as to make maximum impact in the short amount of time that I have their attention and open mind.  I aim to answer their questions plus give them a little more to deepen their understanding and improve their math skills.