What Should You Look For In A Math Tutor?

Posted on: 13 October 2016

You've hired a math tutor for your child. That's the first step to getting your young student back on track. Whether she's not exactly thrilled when it comes to math class, she's struggling to understand basic concepts, or her grades are slipping, a tutor can help your child to succeed scholastically. Before hiring a tutor, check out this list of what you need to look for.

Communicating with the Teacher

Does the tutor have plans to regularly communicate with your child's math teacher? While the math tutor knows the content at hand, you need to make sure that this educational pro has access to what your child is doing at school. The tutor needs to know if there's a specific method or strategy that the school teacher expects to see your child use, when important test dates are, and anything else that is part of your child's math class.

Communicating with the Family

Your child goes to tutoring one, maybe twice, a week. The rest of her study time is on her own or with you. The tutor should make a point of communicating with you (or other adult family members who help your child with her schoolwork) often. This includes telling you how your child's progressing, what she's doing in her tutoring sessions, and how you can help at home.

Tutoring Experience

Obviously your child's tutor should have experience teaching math. Along with this, this person should also have direct experience tutoring children that are the same age and grade level as your child. One-on-one tutoring is different than teaching in a group classroom setting. You'll want to make sure that the pro has a proven track record of helping children to master math concepts specifically in a tutoring environment. Ask the candidate for recommendations or references that include current or former students' families.

Keeping a Positive Attitude

Your child's dropping math grades are bringing her attitude down. The tutor needs to change this around and help your young student to see how math can help her. A positive attitude is a must-have point that needs to be on your checklist. This means that the tutor is positive not only about math in general, but also about your child's abilities to understand the concepts she's currently struggling with and eventually succeed.

Your child has individual needs. Along with these points, you may also want to add on a few that are specific to your child's school situation. By combining general qualifications and your own ideas, you can create a list that will land you the best math tutor possible. For more information, check out a tutoring service like Study Wizards Tutoring.

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