The personalized tutoring market is essentially unregulated. This is not just in UK but everywhere around. Presently anybody can label themselves as a tutor by printing out a stack of business cards or fliers and dispensing them across localities. But the inherent perils are obviously noticed.
Thedarkscintilla of competition is hot on heels in the cut and thrust ofpresent world. Top rated schools and edifying instructions are continuing to fetch a premiumas the competition in the educational realm builds up more.
People blog regularly, aboutthe sturdy rise in the demand and supply of private tuition and parents catering to out of the box methods to assist bolster their kid’s future, has also been carrying for a while now!
Some even say that finding a tutor now-a-days is a piece of cake.
However parents state that the problem is not about finding a tutor, it’s about finding the right tutor. Majority of them believe “…it is mainly about appointing a tutor who has the right skills to propel a kid’s degree in specific subjects, prior to the examinations.â€
So here are some tips for fudging the cowhands and ascertaining the gold nuggets.
Understand your kid’s needs:
This is the first thing which you as a parent will have to do. In order to find a proper tutor you first have to be aware of what your kid needs.
- The degree of help your kid/kids need- Whether your kid needs intensive remediation or homework assistance or a mixture of both? Find out
- The areas which need addressing- What are the areas you want the tutor to focus on- improving marks in specific subjects, improving general skills or study skills or just their motivation?
- Your kid’s learning style- Does your kid learn best- by reading or listening, memorizing or moving around. Does he perform well with a male or a female, does he need nurturing or just a firm hand. Also find out what drives or interests him?
Considering peer students:
Some parents consider a peer student better than a teacher to help him/her with their subjects. As per their saying-‘Peer students who have mastered a particular subjector someone who can break down complex theories would prove to be a better option for your kid.’
In fact in UK, many parents tend to such peer students as their kid’s tutor, simply because they can get really comfortable with them, explain complicated concepts easily and make their study time- a fun-filled one!
Child psychologist Resa Fogel, a Ph.D., in Jew Jersey state-‘most kids love working with a Peer student and regard them as their study buddy. They feel more attached in the process of learning and can also meld their social and academic lives.’
Contacting the school:
Your kid’s school family resource center will have ample information regarding where to get quality and reliable personal tuition teachers- both via private agencies as well as school systems.
There are numerous schools which provide after school learning sessions along with access to computer video games aiming to strengthen their regular issues.Some schools may even have a program for pass out or senior students or list of parents volunteering to teach smaller kids.
Above all these perks, the biggest advantage of working with your kid’s school is that their recommended tutors will be directed towards expectations of a specific grade.
So do make a point to go up and ask your kid’s school if they have someone in picture as because there are some teachers who apart from teaching, also side-line themselves as private tutors.
Check out the daily newspaper:
You can check out the daily newspaper for tutor credential listing. The contact details are mentioned and so you can ring them up and possible arrange a meet face to face.
Ask these questions if possible!
- Their educational background- Contact the concerned person and ask about their educational qualifications and whether they are still in touch with the subject matter
- Their kind of teaching experience- Check if they have worked with students similar in age or on the ability of students.
- Their teaching techniques- Ask if he/she makes use of standardized tests, school reports and other types of evaluation techniques to find out a child’s weakness and strength.
- Their teaching time span and the no of days of service- The most important thing enquire about their teaching time span and also the no of days they will offer classes. 3 times a week is quite good and if offered 4, there’s nothing like it!
Some extend classes by an hour on weekends! So ask about that too!
“In fact this mode worked for me and my Lucy and that is why I have listed it along with the rest.
“How can I find a good private tutor‖ this question which gave me many sleepless nights! Lucy had proceeded to class 8 and I could see her struggling everyday with her academic subjects. While checking the newspaper for sources I came across Mrs Myers, a retired educationist.
I asked the same set of questions which I have listed out and I believe that these questions are important to maintain transparency.â€
If you want, you can also use professional online help for quality tutor options as they too have a good number of tutor listings.
Go with personal recommendations:
One of the best and safest ways of finding a good tutor for your kid is to go with recommendations provided by your relatives or friends. This is very safe and more often than not will prove to be beneficial for your kid.
Your friends or close relatives may know of some senior teacher retired from school who is ready to offer tutoring services to a handful of students. There is no harm in ringing up and asking if they are interested. If they do take an interest then make them aware about the subject matter.
Final verdict:
Finding and retaining a quality tutor is extremely essential and sometimes finding one can prove to be laborious. But you are doing it your own kid and so it’s worth the hard work.