The notion of tutoring, whether it’s to catch up, keep up or get ahead, has been around for a very long time – Socrates, for instance, tutored Plato and Plato tutored Aristotle. These were all bright philosophers and scholars who learned from someone who knew more.
However a tutor is not necessarily the answer to all problems your child is experiencing at School. Some problems may simply be the understanding of a single piece of knowledge – something that can be resolved by simply asking your child’s school teacher.
On the other hand, some problems at school are much deeper for your child. A tutor may be appropriate when the problems are longer term and require consistent effort to overcome.
So, how can parents know when a tutor is right for their child?
Here are 7 scenarios where a tutor may be appropriate for your child:
- Your child demonstrates a pattern of slowly worsening grades in school
- They have low self esteem and thinks negatively of themselves in relation to their school performance
- Doesn’t want to go to school
- Misbehaves in school due to a lack of interest in learning
- Is preparing for key exams
- Has test scores that do not reflect her daily performance
- Struggles to focus on a task (e.g. – spending more time daydreaming than on homework)
Now, if you decide tutoring is the answer for your child, it’s important to make sure the person you choose is the best qualified to meet your child’s needs.
Here are 9 tips for you to use when choosing a tutor:
- Make sure the tutor is licensed or certified. Tutors will need the proper qualifications to assess, diagnose and tutor to a child’s weakness.
- Look for a tutor with experience teaching children the same age as your child.
- Request an assessment. An individualized analysis of a student’s strengths and weaknesses can determine a child’s needs and help set goals. Also, insist on progress updates as a child passes through each step of the tutoring program.
- Define your goals. Are you trying to keep your child from failing? Are you looking to challenge a child who is already doing well in school? Be sure your tutor understands your objective and is skilled enough to meet it.
- Find a tutor with specific expertise in the subject of your choosing. Just because someone is a maths genius, it doesn’t mean he is qualified to teach other subjects.
- Make a personality match. Determine what kind of teacher the student has excelled with previously.
- Ask tutors how they will help your child master a specific skill. A good tutor will require that a child learns a specific skill before advancing to the next academic level. Find a tutor who will work with parents and teachers to create an individual program.
- Ask prospective tutors for references from previous employers and students, or hire a respected tutoring company.
- Ask family and friends to recommend a tutor.
This is quite a long list, but it is really important that you consider the majority of these points. After all, it’s your child we are dealing with here, and we want to make sure they get the absolute best help possible.
See how our tutors tick all these boxes. Sign up now for a FREE Assessment – no strings attached.
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