Are you worried about your child’s performance in school? Do you wonder if they need a tutor?
Parents frequently ask me that exact question. In my 15 years in the classroom and 20 years as a parent, I have often been faced with a parent wondering if tutoring is right for their child. Today I’m here to break down how to know if your child could benefit from tutoring, the different tutoring options (and their approximate costs), and a checklist to help you decide which tutoring option is right for you!
BUT… does my child need tutoring?
There are many times in education that a tutor or tutoring program is a great investment in your child’s future. We hired a Spanish tutor for our son in high school and to this day I am convinced that she is the ONLY reason he passed that class. Here’s what you need to ask yourself:
1 ~ Are your child’s grades in class struggling in one or multiple areas?
2 ~ Is your child asking their teacher for help and still not “getting” it?
3 ~ Are you tired of arguing and fighting over it at home?
If you answered yes to those three questions, then your child and family could probably benefit from some form of tutoring. Nowadays there are a variety of options that can be found at nearly every budget and timeline.
The Options and Their Benefits
Tutoring for children has expanded so much in the past decade. Not every option is right for every child or every family so don’t be afraid to switch if something seems like it just isn’t working! Here are some options for you to research from the most intensive/expensive to the least!
1 ~ One-on-one in-person tutoring. This is what most people think about when they are considering tutoring for their child. It’s definitely the most traditional of methods. You can find tutors in nearly every subject by searching online, asking your child’s school, and even asking your friends. For this type of tutoring, you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 – $80/hour depending on the subject and the experience of the tutor. I know that when I was doing one-on-one tutoring, I charged $50 per hour. Remember that the tutor should develop “plans” for your child and have specific things that they are working on. You should be clear what those are and where your child is on the track. You should also be able to put your tutor in contact with your child’s teacher so that they can work together to help your child. This type of tutoring has the most benefit when it is done at least 3 times a week for one hour.
Pros ~ individualized plan, communication with child’s teacher, ability to pick tutor
Cons ~ expensive ($150/week), any work outside of tutoring time doesn’t have support if the child gets lost, often focuses on grade level content and doesn’t always fill in the holes that led to the misconceptions, schedule can be less flexible and often you have to pay even if you cancel.
2 ~ Group tutoring/tutoring centers. The emergence of tutoring centers has helped parents access tutoring at a slightly more affordable rate. Most often, students will take a placement test at the center and then a few days later you will go in and be given the results. They use those results to make a plan for your child. Often students will go to the center 3 – 5 times per week and have homework to complete when they are not at the center. They will complete certain lessons at the center, sitting at a table with 0 – 4 or 5 other students and one instructor. This time can last anywhere between 10 minutes and 30 minutes depending on which center you are using and their approach. For this type of tutoring, you can expect to pay between $75 and $150/week. Sometimes you can put the tutor in contact with the teacher to help create a more streamlined plan for your child. This type of tutoring has the most benefit when it’s done 3 – 5 times per week.
Pros ~ placement test gives you an idea of where your child is, sometimes communication with your child’s teacher is available, can be a less expensive option.
Cons ~ tutors don’t always have teaching experience or a teaching license, at home work doesn’t have support if students are confused, can be time-intensive having to drive there every day, strict schedule doesn’t allow for much flexibility
3 ~ Online tutoring. There are many places and programs that can offer a variety of online tutoring options. They range from one-on-one, others in small zoom meetings, and others are self-paced. This is actually the most flexible option when it comes to tutoring because you can work it around your schedule. Online tutoring varies in prices depending on the type of tutoring that you choose. This type of tutoring could cost you anywhere from $90/month to $600/month depending on your choice. Some things to check for when using online tutoring… Is the person using a secure server for online meetings (it’s your child and you want to make sure they are protected)? Are there video lessons available? Do they record the sessions? This is actually my preferred method to start with because it can be the least expensive and most flexible model. If you’re interested in starting with an online tutoring option, my exclusive online learning course “By The Numbers” is beginning soon. Fill out the form below to receive an email once enrollment starts!
Pros ~ more flexible courses, some online platforms have videos to accompany coursework and homework, some have access to a person to answer questions, much less expensive (potentially) than other options.
Cons ~ not as much one-on-one interaction, virtual isn’t always the best platform for some students.
Which Option is Right for Our Family?
Honestly, it’s hard to say which option is going to be best for your family and you might not know until you try a couple. Many people start with a center based or one on one option… but others simply don’t have the budget to do that. It’s important that you really evaluate the best fit for your family. From my experience, here’s how I would choose:
1 ~ Your child doesn’t like to do work of ANY kind and doesn’t seem to care that they are behind in school. They have resigned that they just aren’t going to be good at (fill in the blank here). If you have the means to hire a private tutor then this would be the best option for your child.
2 ~ Your child is frustrated that they aren’t doing better and wants to improve. You are able to get them to do their homework without too much of a fight and you think that they’ll really get excited to practice their skills once they see they’re making progress. They like to be able to “see” examples of what they are supposed to do. For this child, you could really do either a center-based or online tutoring as long as they offer videos for both the lesson and the practice materials.
3 ~ Your child is motivated to get better at (fill in the blank here). You have a busy schedule and need flexibility. As long as the online option offers videos and support with questions I think your child could benefit by starting here.
In the end, it comes down to a balance of flexibility, budget, and accountability. The most flexible option is online, followed by private, and then center-based. The most budget-friendly is online, followed by center-based, and then private. The most targeted instruction really depends on your exact choice, some private tutors are amazingly skilled and have brilliant plans for their students while others don’t really plan and just download things from the internet. Some center-based programs offer true individual programs while others have a very specific curriculum. Some online programs offer true placement tests and individualized programs and others are hit or miss. You really have to reach out and ask questions to see which is going to be best for you.
Questions to ask and where to look for help
Make sure if you hire a private tutor that you get their references, experience, and ALWAYS have the tutoring sessions in a public area (I did mine at Panera and at the library). You can also have the tutor come to you in this instance. For group/center based tutoring, see if you have friends who go there or ask your child’s teacher if they’ve heard anything about it. I have seen some pretty ridiculous prices for places that aren’t actually helping my students and have suggested to parents that they find someplace different.
You can also look on apps like Next Door or even Facebook to see reviews. If you’re going with the online option, still check out the person or program. You want to know that the people running it have experience in education! See if there’s a trial period or something similar. Ask if you’re locked in to a contract BEFORE you start anything.
To begin looking for options, here are some of my recommendations:
1 ~ for private tutoring you can ask at your child’s school (some teachers moonlight as tutors), ask around the neighborhood, or even look at some agencies who coordinate tutors with students.
2 ~ For a center-based program, start with Google. If you google _____ tutoring near me you will most likely end up with a list of centers. Look at their reviews and start calling.
3 ~ For online programs you can google online _____ tutoring and see what pops up. Shameless plug here, I have developed a comprehensive online math tutoring program that is both cost effective and individualised. You can learn more about it here!
The Nitty Gritty of finding the “right” tutoring for your child
To recap, here’s how we solved the problem:
- Determine if your child could benefit from tutoring (remember that some kids need a little extra challenge and tutoring can be a great way to get that!)
- Think about your budget and flexibility needs when it comes to tutoring
- Narrow down your options and pick one! Seriously, just get started and you can always switch later if things aren’t working out!
It’s hard to admit that your child needs a tutor. Heck, as a teacher it was REALLY hard to admit that my child needed someone else to help him with school. However, I have never regretted the money we invested in tutoring. The key is to make sure you choose the option that works best for your family and your budget. Then make sure that your kiddo is responding well to their tutoring program! I can’t wait to hear how tutoring impacts your child!
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