Is your child in need of additional academic support?
One of the best ways to help your son or daughter succeed in school is to hire a tutor.
The right tutor can supplement your child’s curriculum. They can also give your child the one-on-one connection that is so vital when it comes to education.
It can be tough finding the best tutor for your child’s needs, however. Keep reading to learn more about finding tutoring for kids!
1. Understand Your Child’s Needs
This is one of the most important steps when it comes to finding tutoring for kids.
It can be difficult to choose an appropriate mentor if you don’t quite understand your child’s needs!
When thinking about the kind of support your son or daughter needs, try to be as specific as possible.
You may be aware that your child needs math support.
But what topics does she need help with specifically? Does she need help with study skills, time management, or homework?
We recommend meeting with your child’s teacher(s) to get a better idea of his or her academic needs.
A parent-teacher meeting can also give you more insight into how your child is doing in terms of grades, classroom performance, and learning differences.
Do take the time to sit down with your child, too, when assessing their needs. This is especially important if your child is quite young.
Ask your son or daughter what they find challenging about school at the moment. How do they feel about their current classes? Where do they want support that they aren’t finding in the classroom?
Be open, loving, and supportive when you talk with your kid to ensure their well-being. This is essential as some children can feel ashamed or embarrassed that they have to have tutoring support.
2. Consult Your Child’s School
Once you have a solid idea of the type of academic support your child needs, it’s time to find a tutor.
Start by contacting your child’s school. Some schools have tutoring options for students who need additional support.
In these cases, tutors may be high school or college students. They may even be faculty already working at the school.
Otherwise, schools often have recommendations for tutoring support in the community. Your child’s teacher may already have mentioned some of these options in your consultation.
Add whatever references you get to a list and start working through it accordingly.
3. Ask Fellow Parents for Referrals
Some of your best resources when it comes to child development are your fellow parents!
Don’t be shy about reaching out to friends who also have kids enrolled in the local school system.
Ask these friends if they have any recommendations for tutoring support. You may be surprised how many fellow parents have sought out tutors for their kids, too.
When gathering referrals, ask your friends why specifically they are recommending certain tutoring companies or tutors.
Are they recommending a tutor, for example, based on their child’s overall improvement? Is a certain tutoring company cost-effective for most parents?
Make note of the reasons why they are recommending these individuals. Make sure these align with what your child needs.
4. Look Online
The internet is a great resource when it comes to seeking out academic help. Online research can help you identify local tutoring companies easily.
You will also be able to (most likely) check out online reviews for these services. Reading reviews can be essential. Just because a tutoring service is inexpensive doesn’t mean that it is going to give your son or daughter what they need!
If you can’t find any local tutoring companies, consider online tutoring. There are plenty of companies that offer online-based tutoring.
You may be thinking that online tutoring couldn’t possibly be as great as in-person tutoring. However, many of these platforms provide high-quality instruction at reasonable rates.
Lastly, platforms like Wyzant connect independent tutors with clients around the nation. In this way, it functions much like any other freelance platform, and it’s often safer than advertising your tutoring needs on Craigslist.
If you are having trouble finding options online, consider posting a flyer locally to seek out in-person tutors. This can be essential if you are specifically wanting a local tutor.
5. Interview Several Candidates
By now, you’ll likely have gathered quite a list of tutoring options. It’s important to carefully review each one so that you can select the best mentor for your child at the get-go.
If you’ve found a local tutoring company, meet with prospective tutors in person before saying ‘yes’ to anyone. Most tutoring companies will be happy to provide a “meet and greet” between kids and tutors.
It’s also wise to interview any prospective local tutors. Meet with these tutors separately to assess their qualifications and personality.
Remember: personality is really important when it comes to tutoring for kids! It’s critical to find a tutor whose personality is likely to resonate with your child’s.
Tutors who are likely to make your child feel comfortable and excited to learn are particularly excellent.
If you’re considering an online platform, sign up for consultations before agreeing to anything.
Don’t feel pressured to select a tutor simply because of cost or time.
6. Check in With Your Child
At the end of the day, your child’s needs are the most important! Ask your child how they feel about a specific tutor.
If you do find a tutor the both of you like, check in with your kid regularly about the tutoring experience. Honest feedback can help you plan for the future accordingly.
Tutoring for Kids
The right tutor can help your child achieve academic excellence and confidence in the classroom. Make sure you know your options as you search for a tutor for your child.
Thoroughly research all of your options for tutoring for kids, including online platforms. Make sure you aren’t settling for a tutor in any way. Keep your child’s needs at the fore!
Now you know all about how to find the best tutor for your child’s needs. How about if you’re in search of the perfect nanny? Click here to learn more!
I really like what you said about making sure to look online for companies and to check their online reviews. This would really help my son Carter because he is having trouble reading children’s books. It would be really helpful to have him be tutored over the summer to allow him to catch up to his classmates.
Indeed, we should be more strict and considerable in looking for the best education for our kids. We all know it starts to its Tutor/teacher, Thank you for the great tips and advice Shabby chicboho.
These are great tips to keep in mind. My son just started Pre-K in Aug and I don’t want his to fall behind on anything. I think it’s a great idea to keep in contact with his teacher on what he is having problems with. Thank you for sharing.