Once you have decided that hiring a tutor is the right way to go, it is important to find the right tutor. There are two options for you: private tutors, and commercial learning centers. Regardless of your choice, there are several factors that you must look at before hiring someone to work with your child.
Finding a Tutor that is a Good Fit
Look for a friendly tutor who clicks with your child. Ask your friends for a recommendation; someone who worked well with your child’s best friend may also work well with your child. A good fit will enable your child to enjoy his tutoring sessions and subsequently will provide a better learning experience, allowing your children to enjoy learning and ultimately learn more.
If you chose a learning center, make sure that your child feels welcome and comfortable in the center, and that all the staff, including the teachers, are friendly. In a learning center, your child may or may not get the same teacher every time, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your child’s personality, so keep that in mind as well.
Finding an Experienced Tutor
Finding an experienced tutor is important in order to have a successful experience. The level of experience required is up to you – a college degree in the subject area may be sufficient, or you may want a certified teacher with experience in the classroom. Common levels of experience include:
- College Student
- College degree
- Certified teacher
- Previous/current experience teaching
- Previous/current tutoring experience
Depending on the level of experience, expect to pay more or less per hour. For example, a tutor with a degree, teaching certification, and both teaching and tutoring experience may cost around $50 an hour, whereas a college student may only charge $20 an hour.
The cost for an hour of tutoring in a commercial learning center will be $45-$65 depending on the center, but this usually gets you a certified teacher working with your child and a set program. To find out whether the level of experience is sufficient for your needs, ask questions – especially the hard questions. Tutors cost money – and good tutors cost good money. Even so, you need to make sure that you get what you are paying for.
Look for a tutor who is passionate, because that will be the person who will make learning fun for your child. If you are not comfortable with a tutor for any reason, or if your child does not click well with the tutor, then you need to make the effort to find another tutor. Ask around to see what other moms or teachers recommend, and know that although a tutor is not a quick fix to a problem, with the right tutor, it can be a steady fix.
Find out more information on choosing the right tutor.
