How to Find a Tutor

There are a number of signs a child needs a tutor, including difficulty doing homework, poor test grades, multiple wrong answers, trouble completing assignments and, of course, frustration, tears and decreased self-confidence.

Before hiring a tutor for the summer, sit down and discuss the need with your child, says Beverly Stewart, president and director of Back-to-Basics Learning Dynamics. “Make the conversation as positive as possible. You are trying to get the child to buy in,” Stewart says. For example, try a tactic such as saying, “You know how reading is kind of hard sometimes? Well, we’re going to meet with someone who can help you.” Most kids are OK with that because they really don’t like the feeling of struggling or being behind their classmates.

Where to Look

Once you have talked with your child, try to get recommendations. Ask your child’s teacher or other school personnel. Other parents are good resources, too. Is there someone they have had success with?

Next, check credentials to find the most qualified person and best fit for the job. Look not only at degrees, but also at experience and teaching style.

When the search has been narrowed, call or make an appointment to speak with the tutor. Consider his or her personality and attitude. Is she upbeat and positive? Does he take the child’s learning style into account when tutoring? Is the potential tutor available at a time that works best for your child?

On the Clock

With kids’ extracurricular activities and parents’ work schedules dominating the clock, finding the right time for tutoring sessions can be difficult.

“There needs to be a lot of flexibility so the sessions are held at a good time for the child and the family,” says Liz Holter, a Sylvan Learning Center director. And that means a time when the child learns best. Some children, Holter says, do best right after school. Others need a break before tackling academics again.

Measure your child’s progress over time. “Our center does periodic progress reports,” Holter says. “We check off goals and redefine them, if necessary. This lets parents know what is happening. They have a monetary investment in this and deserve to know what is being accomplished.”

Denise Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.

For a directory of tutors, go to www.CharlotteParent.com/directories/education/resources.php.

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A TUTOR

• What ages do you tutor?
• Is it for remedial work only, or do you provide enrichment and maintenance support, too? • What subjects do you offer?
• Do you have summer programs?
• Do you offer diagnostic testing? Is it required?
• Do you teach in small group sessions or one-on-one?
• Where does the tutoring take place?
• What qualifications do you/your teachers have?
• What if my child has a personal problem with the tutor? Can I get another one?
• How often is my child required to attend tutoring?
• Can you work sessions around my family’s schedule?
• How often will I receive progress reports? Will they be written or verbal?
• What is the duration of any contract?
• How much do you charge?
• Are there any other fees?