Based on your filters 
As a parent, it’s difficult to see your child struggling in school. You want your child’s future to be limitless—for them to be able to achieve anything they set their mind to. We at Wondrfly understand that helping your child succeed academically is a vital part of parenting, and that choosing a tutor is an important and complicated task.
To choose the best tutor for your child, you need to first determine their specific academic challenges and needs. Then, you need to evaluate the resources available to you and choose the one most appropriate for your child’s needs, your budget, your schedule, and myriad other factors. That isn’t the end of the process, though. You still need to monitor your child’s progress and assess whether they are benefiting maximally from their tutoring experience.
We want to make this process easier and smoother for parents, which is why we’ve created this handy guide to choosing a tutor for your child. We’ll walk you through the steps and help you organize your priorities to make the best decision possible.
Assessing Your Child’s Tutoring Needs.
The first thing you need to do to ensure you find a tutor who’s a match for your child is to determine where your child is struggling, and what needs to be improved upon. Here are the things you need to find out to find the right tutor for your child.
How much tutoring, or how intensive a program does my child need?
What do we want to see improved? Test scores? Study skills? Reading comprehension and speed? Motivation?
What can you glean about your child’s learning style?
What is your budget? How much time and money are you willing to spend?
There are a few different ways you can gather this information.
From Your Child
Have a frank discussion with your child on their school experience and ask them what they find most difficult at school. Your child is often the best source for information on their needs. Listening to what they have to say about their school life is a vital part of determining where they need assistance.
From Yourself
But you don’t even have to sit down and have a concentrated discussion about tutoring with your child to pick up on some of their academic needs. Often you can tell because they reach out for help on certain homework assignments, procrastinate or avoid assignments, or just plain complain about school being hard sometimes. Be observant of these things, they won’t go away on their own, so if you see them recurring again and again, it’s probably time to seek out a tutor.
From Your Child’s Teachers
Your child’s teacher or teachers will be best equipped to tell you where they are struggling in their academic performance. You should also consider your child’s input, however, because the level of difficulty and unpleasantness involved in completing their assignments may not be reflected in their grades.
An attentive and considerate teacher will also often pick up on signs of learning disabilities such as ADHD and Dyslexia. Though they aren’t qualified to diagnose, they can offer suggestions based on their observations of your child’s daily behavior and academic achievement. If you or a teacher suspect your child may have additional learning needs, reach out to the school guidance counselor or a pediatric psychologist for information on testing and resources.
How and Where to Find Tutoring Near You
The next step in finding the best possible tutor for your child is to gather all the resources available to you. There are a few places everyone should look for tutoring resources. They include—
Your School Guidance Counselor may be able to point you in the direction of registered tutors vetted by the school, or other local tutoring resources.
Local Libraries often offer tutoring or study hall programs for kids and teens.
Learning Centers like Kumon or Sylvan are accessible across the country and may be able to meet your child’s tutoring needs.
The Internet is a terrific resource for finding tutors, especially ones who operate virtually. Check out some of these sites recommended by Good Housekeeping for some help finding a good tutor.
Local Retired Teachers or Homeschool Teachers may be interested in providing tutoring services. Search your social circle for some!
Questions To Ask Tutoring Candidates
Preparing to interview or find information on a tutoring candidate begins with knowing what questions to ask. Here are a few considerations that should be on your priority list when gathering info.
What prior experience do you have with tutoring?
Do you have any certifications or special credentials?
Do you have experience with my child’s specific needs?
What improvement have you seen in your past clients?
What methods and strategies do you use?
How long do you think it will take to see results?
What, if any, motivational aids do you use?
How would you describe your teaching philosophy?
How can I support the tutoring process and help my child succeed?
How and how often will we communicate?
Where will the tutoring take place?
What hours are you available?
Deciding on the Right Tutor for Your Child
You’ll find the right tutor for your child once you take into account what is most important to you and your child. You need to prioritize your child’s needs, and then consider your budget, your availability, convenience, and other factors. Be sure to ask candidates if they offer a free test session, some may.
How to Ensure Tutoring is Working for Your Child
Once you’ve selected a tutor, the process isn’t over! You need to continually monitor your child’s progress, either through test scores, grades, formal assessments, self-reporting, or a combination.
It’s also a good idea to keep in touch regularly with your child’s tutor, or even sit in on a few sessions. Your involvement is needed for your child’s tutoring experience to be successful.
If you’re looking for tutoring for your child in the Jersey City and/or Hoboken area,search Wondrfly’s extensive directory of Hoboken and Jersey City activity providers for kids!
For more tips on how to keep your child learning every day, keep following Professor Dad on theWondrfly blog.
Categories