When a child is struggling in school, it can be a stressor for the entire family. As a result, parents are turning to private tutors to help students achieve their educational goals. A study produced by Technavio in 2018, reports that the market for private tutors will increase by 7% between now and 2022.
If the demand for tutors is expected to rise, it will become increasingly important to know how to choose the right one. To that end, we have comprised five tips to help you decide.
Create a goal- Speak with your child about reasons why a tutor is necessary and ways that enlisting a tutor will help. Focus on what the student hopes to accomplish. (ie. better grades, study habits, organization skills)
Ask for recommendations- Ask teachers, friends and other parents for recommendations. Consider interviewing several tutors with your child present. They’re likely to buy in if they're part of the process.
Check the tutor’s credentials/experience- Ask about experience, training and references. It’s important that the tutor has expertise with the content and grade level you identify. If your child has special needs, find out what techniques the tutor might employ to deal with them.
Set Goals- Request a description of the individualized plan. If possible, put the tutor in contact with teachers. A partnership between you, the tutor and teachers is an excellent recipe for success.
Evaluate progress-Observe the tutor with your child. There should be guided instruction and opportunities for independent practice. Request periodic reports from the tutor and teacher. The desired outcome is to see measurable progress in a few month’s time.
Searching for the right tutor may be a difficult task, but these five steps can help your family through a potentially stressful period in your lives.
I totally agree that these steps will lay the foundation to assisting a child to reach a successful level of goal achievement. Thank you for your insight on this issue.
Julian Dangerfield, MS, CASAC II