Much of the decision process to get a tutor is a judgement call. Before deciding to spend the money on a tutor, consider the importance of good grades and your child's ability to receive those grades. Be sure your child is on board as well, in order to get the most benefit from the time and money spent on a tutor.
Improving Student Grades
Tutors can provide homework help, teach test taking strategies and help strengthen weak areas. By focusing on whichever area is the root cause of the poor grades, you will often see improvement after just a short period of time. Reasons that your child may need a tutor to help with grades include:
Motivation: Although costly, hiring a tutor may kick your child into gear and solve the problem of a child who simply is not trying. This may be a short term solution though, as a lack of motivation may indicate a bigger problem. While focusing on the short term objective of bringing up grades, attempt to find out the root of the issues at the same time.
Learning Style: Your child may have a different learning style than the teacher is focusing on. A tutor will be able to teach the same information in a different way, enabling your child to learn the information more effectively. Read more information about how different children learn.
Test Taking Skills: Often a child understands the information, but has difficulty performing well on a test. A tutor can take the time to focus specifically on these test-taking skills that will enable a child to raise test scores. These skills include both information recall and strategies to remain calm and focused on test day.
How to Help a Child Work Up to His or Her Ability Level
There are two extremes in student ability level that result in poor grades on the report card. If your child has a learning disability or is otherwise not capable of performing better, a tutor can provide additional support. On the other hand, if your child is much smarter than his grades indicate, a tutor can help challenge these students to do better.
Special Education Students: A student that has a learning disability or is otherwise unable to preform at a higher academic level can benefit from a tutor. While you need to not push this child to preform in a way that he is not capable of, you can provide extra support and repetition. This help may not improve grades, but can help minimize frustration and make learning a bit easier.
Gifted and Talented Students: Children who are very bright, often do badly in school because they are bored. A tutor can help stimulate that child and provide challenges that will enable your child to enjoy learning while improving his grades. The tutor will need to be careful to make lessons fun and exciting so your child does not feel punished for being smart by having to do additional lessons outside of school.
Getting a tutor to help your child can benefit not only your child’s report card, but also your child’s self-esteem, allowing him to see his hard work pay off in better grades. Know that just as the decision to hire a tutor is a personal one, so is the choice of tutor. Whether you hire a private tutor, have your child join an after school review group, or start attending a commercial learning center, the decision needs to be thought through with your child in mind.
Read more information about how to choose a tutor including what questions to ask a tutor.
Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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