As a parent, you naturally want your child to do their very best at whatever they do. As a parent, you also realise that your child may need help. Personal tutors can help your child learn and understand topics that they are struggling with.
Why your child may need a tutor
There are plenty of reasons why children may need help with a particular aspect of their academic lives and may benefit from tutoring. Some of them include:
- Students may have difficulty with basic skills in a particular topic which in turn hampers further learning.
- Learning disabilities can make mastering subjects difficult.
- Medical issues, social problems, or behavioural disorders can obstruct learning skills.
- Some students may be striving for better grades to apply for a college or university program
- Some students may also simply want to better their understanding of a particular topic in school.
Does tutoring really work?
Personal tutoring can benefit your child in a number of ways – from getting better grades to mastering particular skills or subjects. Bear in mind that not all tutoring needs to be simply academic in nature and may have positive impacts on a number of different academic abilities. Improving reading skills and comprehension, for example, can improve your child’s ability to understand other subjects. This in turn can positively affect grades as well. An analysis of 65 independent e valuations of tutoring programs found that students who received tutoring outperformed those who did not and can positively affect attitudes to learning.
However, in order for tutoring to be effective, you need to pick the right tutor for your child. Read on for a few tips on how to pick a tutor for your child’s needs.
Identify your needs
The first step is to identify what areas your child needs help in. Speak to their teachers and have an honest, open conversation with your child about the areas they are struggling in. Try and learn as much as you can – there are no right or wrong answers during this process. If your child has learning disabilities or other special needs, you will need a tutor who specialises in tutoring children with difficulties.
Have a clear picture of your goals
If your child is old enough, sit down with your child and try to understand if they are merely looking to up their grades or if they actually want to learn more about the subject in question. Bear in mind that a learning goal will usually have a positive impact on a performance goal and that simply setting a goal for passing a particular exam without understanding the topic can hamper learning in the future.
Online tutoring or in-person
Make a list of the pros and cons of both. The medium of learning you choose can depend on a few factors including your child’s learning style. Online tutoring can be beneficial if you do not have any suitable candidates nearby. It may also be more practical and time efficient. Online tutoring may also mean you may be able to schedule sessions more frequently than those in person.
In person learning at a learning centre has its own benefits too. Tutors may be able to involve your child more actively in the learning process and resources at the learning centre are easily accessed. Studies have shown that tutors who collaborate with the child during the learning process can bring about better results.
Get references and check credentials
Ask other parents for recommendations for a tutor. They will be able to tell you what their experiences were with their child. Check the experience and of the frim and the tutors who will be involved with your child. How experienced are they? If necessary, check if they have the training required to teach children with special needs.
A tutoring firm will usually have tutors with the right credentials and qualifications to help you and your child. Additionally, they will be able to help you assess your child’s learning styles and requirements. A good tutoring firm will also be able to recommend the right number of tutoring sessions required, usually after working with the child and assessing needs.
If you are looking for a tutor in the Vancouver area, Unique Minds Learning Company employs highly experienced and well qualified educators in all disciplines from kindergarten to post secondary. Get in touch with us today for a free consultation.