For most parents finding a tutor will likely include advice from other parents, online searches or use of an agency. Reviewing profiles online or taking advice from other parents can help identify people who have the right subject knowledge to help your child, however, it is more difficult to get a read on whether this person will fit the learning style of your child and make that all important connection to ensure a positive learning experience.
Ultimately as a parent you are looking for bright, engaging person who your child will want to learn from and as such improve academically.
Most parents find that meeting a tutor live is the best way to make the all-important decision of who will help your child. In reality, you will want to meet more than one tutor. However the practicalities of meeting 2-3 people in person as we juggle busy schedules can make this difficult.
This is where the use of online can help speed up the process of selection allowing busy parents to meet more tutors and hopefully find the right match for their child. At MyTutor we encourage all parents to use our free “meet the tutor” session as part of the process.
When meeting with a tutor, what is the best way to assess if they are the right fit for your child’s needs? You will know a few things about the tutor in advance of the meeting, such as the subjects they tutor in, how frequently they do this and possibly some reviews from other parents.
Here are a few key objectives to consider for these meetings:
- Check on academic fit: does the tutor have experience with the exam board? Have they previously covered the period in history required or the texts for English?
- Assess personality fit for your child: While there is no exact science to this, a great way to illuminate the nature of the tutor is to have them go through a short sample question with your child. You can get a view on their approach and style of tutoring and experience the online classroom in real life. This will also ensure your child is involved so that they can help choose the person they will most enjoy learning from in the coming weeks and months.
- Discuss the frequency, times and over what period of time you expect tutorials to happen to ensure this works for all parties.
The investment of time to find the person who your son or daughter relates best to so that they want to be tutored will pay itself back as you see your child’s enthusiasm for the subjects improve and their confidence grow as they approach their exams.