If you have a child that is struggling in school, there are some things that you can do to make sure they succeed. We all want our children to do well in school, grow up to go to college, and create a good life for themselves.
The sad truth is that when someone struggles at a younger age and does not receive the help that they need, they fall further and further behind each year. This could result in poor grades, children getting held back, low self esteem, behavioral problems, and even a higher rate of High School dropouts.
Rather than allowing your child to struggle and get further behind, realize that there is help. Tutors are trained professionals who will work one on one with your child to help them get up to grade level before it is too late. If you feel like you should get a tutor for your child, the following tips will help you to find the right one.
Some children feel dumb if they have to have a tutor. It is important that before you hire someone, you talk to your child. Really communicate with the child to let them know why you are going to hire someone to help them. Ask them if they have any concerns and do your best to answer their questions in a positive way.
Remain neutral so that your child feels like they are entitled to their feelings, but so that they understand that you are trying to do what is best for them. Ask the child if they have any special requests when it comes to finding the right tutor.
I have found that many children have concerns that are easy to address, as long as they are communicated, and that can be the difference between success and failure with a tutor.
Another person that you should communicate with is your child’s teacher at school. The teacher may have noticed some behavioral or intellectual issues that you simply have not seen. You see your child in a different environment than the teacher does, so they might have some good insight for you. The teacher or school administrators might even have some recommendations of tutors that they think would work well with your child.
Before you settle on a tutor, I would recommend that you do your research. After all, you are going to be paying money for this person to help your child, and you want it to be a good experience. Google the person and see what comes up.
If they have a website, check it out. Ask around to see if anyone you know has used that person as a tutor before. If you go to a tutoring facility or a school, talk to others who are there to get a feel for the reputation of the tutor.
When you meet with the tutor for the first time, ask them for references and actually go home and call them. Finding out as much information as you can about the tutor will give you a better chance of finding someone who will be effective for your child.
When you are choosing a tutor for your child, be sure that you have some goals written down that you want to achieve through tutoring. This could be something that you come up with, with your child, so that you are both on the same page.
When you go to meet with different tutors during the decision process, let them know what your goals are and see what they can commit to do to help you and your child achieve those goals. If any tutor gives you unsatisfactory answers, they may not be the right tutor for your child.
Once you have settled on a tutor, do not feel like you are trapped in a lifelong commitment. Stay and observe many of the tutoring sessions that your child participates in so that you can see how they interact with each other and see how much work is actually getting done. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy as you observe the tutor, realize that you can opt out. This was your decision, you are paying for it, and it is your child’s education and well being on the line.
As you can see, there is a lot involved in finding the right tutor for your child, but the payoff is worth the effort. I believe that helping your child succeed and gain self confidence is one of the best feelings a parent could ask for.
Lawrence Reaves writes for School Tutoring Academy, a tutoring company offering math, science, reading and ACT/SAT prep programs in the US and Canada. Go here to see how they can help your child succeed in school.
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