8 essential tips for choosing a tutor for your child
When it comes to their child’s education, every parent wants the best for them.
And one of the best ways to help boost your child’s academic potential is to hire a tutor who can offer specialist one on one support.
With that in mind, here are eight essential tips for choosing a tutor.
1. Talk to your child
Most children don’t like to struggle with work, so before you choose a tutor, discuss it with your child and try and get their buy-in by explaining how tutoring will benefit them. If your child is on board from the start the tutoring is more likely to be successful.
2. Talk to your child’s teacher
Talking to your child’s teacher(s) will enable you to identify the exact areas they’re struggling with, so you can choose the most appropriate tutor for their needs. Also, their teacher might be able to provide advice and recommendations for choosing a tutor and point you in the direction of other learning resources which will aid your child.
3. Find out how the tutoring will be structured
Tutoring can work in a number of different ways, the tutor might come to your home, deliver their sessions via video or a mixture of the two. Both face-to-face and online tutoring have their pros and cons, so take the time to work out which method is best for your child.
4. Check their credentials
The tutoring industry isn’t regulated which means it’s important to ensure that your child’s tutor possesses the necessary expertise. So consider, do they have relevant subject experience? Have they tutored children of a similar age and level of study?
5. Get references
A tutor may appear to have a good track record, but anyone can sell themselves on paper. So do some extra digging such as checking reviews and satisfaction surveys and requesting references, so you can make an informed decision. It's also important that your chosen tutor is registered with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
6. Know what you’re getting into
Every tutor is different so before you make up your mind, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. Is there a contract? Can you stop the tutoring at any time? How much notice do you need to give for cancelling or rearranging a session?
7. Agree progress measures
Before the tutoring sessions commence you and the tutor should agree on progress measures for you child, for example to be working at grade 7 in Maths by April. With agreed measures in place, you’ll find it easier to assess how well your child’s tutoring is going and take any necessary measures.
8. Meet the tutor beforehand
When it comes to the student-tutor relationship, it works best when your child gets on with their tutor. This is why tutoring agencies such as Teachers To Your Home allow you to interview prospective tutors beforehand. So before you choose a tutor, set up a meeting where both you and your child can ask questions, get to know them and assess their suitability.
That’s our list! Share your thoughts in the comments.
