One-to-one tutoring as well as small group tutoring are proven methods to enhance students’ understanding and motivation. Tutoring should be personalized and meet the specific needs of the child. So, before you begin to look for a tutor, decide specifically what you want your student to gain from the tutoring sessions. If you want your child to pass a test, the tutor should help with understanding the material covered on the test as well as study skills. This type of goal may only need a few sessions, but keep in mind, the first session is typically where the tutor tries to gain a better understanding of the student’s learning needs and style. 

If the goal is to prepare for college, the SAT, or improve his or her writing or math skills, it will require regular sessions over many months. With an understanding of your student’s specific goal, make sure the tutor knows the subject area and has experience tutoring the subject. Find out the level of experience the tutor has working with children as well. Your child’s tutor doesn’t necessarily have to be a teacher in order to be effective as long as the tutor has experience tutoring in the subject and age range of your child. This well help ensure that your child has a positive experience with the tutor and that the sessions won’t confuse your child or negatively impact his or her self-confidence. 

This is a huge factor to consider when hiring a tutor. One of the unspoken truths in education is that ‘children learn from people they like.’ This is especially true in the world today. Forming a strong relationship with the student is critical if you want to gain the student’s trust and have him or her approach each session with a growth mindset. Also, the tutor has to have the appropriate teaching style that will be effective for the student. Some students need a tutor that will be more persistent during sessions, and some students will need a tutor that is patient and willing to take things extra slow to ensure the student’s understanding. At Club Z!, the compatibility between tutor and student is one of our primary focal points in the matching process!

If your child has been working with a tutor, observe one of their sessions. Your child should be actively engaged in the lesson rather than merely soaking up material. When your child gives a correct answer, does the tutor say “Good”? Or, does the tutor offer follow-up questions to check for understanding? Praise is positive; however, asking follow-up questions demonstrates more engagement between tutor and student. When the tutor and student have a strong relationship, there is less need to worry about student engagement because the student will want to do his or her best because he or she respects the tutor. 

This is a judgment call; however, you want a tutor who loves teaching as well as the subject. You don’t want to hire a tutor who teaches writing skills yet complains about the process or pokes fun at the assigned topics. You want to hire a role model for your child and that would be someone who obviously loves their job. Your child may not be thrilled at the idea of attending tutoring sessions, especially on the subject where he or she is struggling. A tutor who is enthusiastic about the subject matter and has a positive attitude may create a passion for the subject in your child. If not a passion, maybe the tutor will build more confidence in your child concerning the subject. 

Whether you choose to hire from a new tutoring organization or one that has been around for many years, check their ratings. You can typically find a company’s ratings through their Google My Business, Facebook, or Yelp accounts. What are others saying about the tutors? Ask your neighbors, friends, or school counselors if they know anything about the business. Do the ratings say that the children reached their study goals? You have many choices, so before hiring a tutor spend some time researching the business. When hiring a tutor, you are entrusting someone with your child’s education; you better make sure it’s someone you trust will always have your child’s needs in mind!