Many parents seek additional help for their children by having them work with tutors. Tutors can provide individualized and specialized assistance that will enhance children’s learning skills and support their teacher’s instructional work in the classroom.

Here are some suggestions to help ensure a good match between a student and tutor.

Identify Your Child’s Needs:

• Determine the specific subject areas of need
• Make note of learning strategies, strengths and weaknesses
• Assess organizational and study skills

Include Your Child in The Selection Process:

• Discuss the goals of tutoring
• Assess attitude and motivation about working with a tutor
• Find out whether your child has a preference for the gender of the tutor

Include Your Child’s Teacher in the Decision-Making:

• Confirm the need for extra help
• Prioritize the work that the tutor and your child will cover
• Make sure that the teacher will work collaboratively with the tutor
• Formulate a plan for increased feedback from the teacher regarding your child’s progress
• Request information and materials that will help students link their new skills to classroom success

Identify Options:

• Look into private tutors (experienced teachers with advanced degree, undergraduate or graduate students, high school students, volunteers)
• Look into after school programs which can provide a structured learning environment with adult assistance

Ask About Credentials and Previous Experience of Potential Tutors:

• Discuss their formal academic training
• Discuss their previous teaching experience
• Discuss their previous tutoring experience (work with children of the same age, experience with the specifc issues that need to be addressed

Discuss the Format and Structure of Tutoring Session:

• Decide on the number of sessions per week
• Find a convenient location for tutoring; one that will allow work to be done effectively
• Assess costs; regular fees, additional costs for materials or transportation

Determine the Nature of Work to be Covered

• Decide how much time will be devoted to the direct support of school work (homework, book reports, term papers, writing assignments, studying for tests)
• Decide how much time will be devoted to independent skill building (learning and studying skills, reading,writing, research)

Determine How the Tutor Will Coordinate With Others:

• Formulate a plan for the tutor to have regular communication with school personnel
• Formulate a plan for the tutor to have on-going communication with parents, including all assessments and reporting of progress and proposed modifications to the teaching approach

Finding the right match between a student and a tutor (or after school program) can be a time-consuming process that requires careful thought and planning. The rewards, as measured by improved schoolwork and increased self-confidence are well worth the effort.