As a parent, do you find it frustrating to watch your child struggle academically and gradually lose confidence?  Maybe a tutor is the answer…someone suited to help your child achieve better grades and assist in rebuilding his/her self-esteem. Once you decide to seek help, finding the tutor with the right qualifications to fit your child’s exact needs may prove to be a challenge. Here are some practical tips when it comes to ensuring a successful and satisfying tutoring experience for you and your struggling student.

Signs of Trouble
Parents should be on the lookout for some specific signs of trouble, such as being reluctant to go to school or exhibiting newfound fears of failure.  Has your child’s behavior become the exact opposite of his or her personality?  Or, has your child lost interest in learning? Difficulties and the need for assistance may become obvious with a single alarming report card, or an unsettling parent/teacher meeting.  “Parents are the first and most important teacher a child has,” explains Thomas Andrews, a retired private elementary school teacher from Orlando.  “If you see your child growing frustrated or overwhelmed by classwork or homework, it’s time to have a talk.”

Finding a Tutor
A good tutor can become an effective partner in your child’s academic achievement. A tutor should be educated in the subject matter that is causing the problem and be someone your child feels comfortable with. Tutors can reassure your child and help build a sense of confidence while showing them how to apply new learning techniques to the troublesome subject.

After parents have determined that their son/daughter requires the assistance of a tutor, the first place to start the search is at the child’s school.  Ask your child’s teacher or guidance office if the school has a list of available tutors in your area. Costs for tutoring can vary─ although many schools can assist you with finding someone within your budget or help in other ways if the tutoring need for your child is clear.  Some schools offer peer tutoring programs, where your child is placed with an older student for a period of time, either before or after school.  If your child’s academic struggles can be related to a developmental issue, your pediatrician/primary care physician should also be consulted.

The Internet may also be a good resource for finding a tutor.  Some websites offer tutor directories that connect a student with local tutors or teachers specializing in one-on-one academic assistance via the web.  The Internet may be the perfect solution for families that are unable to find a tutor near their home, or if their schedules make attending sessions difficult.

Do not hesitate to ask questions and request references of your prospective tutor. Ask what learning styles their methods are best suited for, and methods they use to evaluate your child’s current ability level. Some tutors, particularly tutoring centers, administer a complete skills evaluation to identify precisely where the student is having difficulty. It might also be a good idea to ask if the tutor can be contacted with questions outside of scheduled sessions if your child is having a particularly difficult time with an assignment.

Starting to Work
Continue to evaluate your child’s tutor, even after the sessions begin. It is important for parents to ask their children if they are comfortable with their new instructor, and whether or not they understand the lessons clearly. Be sure to monitor your child’s grades, as well. Once your child begins work with a tutor of choice, the changes in both his grades and attitude may become immediately apparent.  Seasoned teachers agree that once a child has been working with a tutor for a while, the changes are clearly visible. Children who receive outside help will become more confident as they master their subject material. It’s also important that parents reinforce these lessons at home.  “Monitoring your child’s progress and work is critical to keeping your child on the right path,” states Andrews.

How to Win the Homework Wars

1. Establish a specific time and place in the home to start homework─ Don’t put it off until later or when you get the chance.  It’s important or the teacher wouldn’t have sent it home, so parents should make a concerted effort to lay down some laws.
2. Take breaks during long homework sessions─ If your child is working for more than half an hour, have a snack and take 10 minutes or so to talk about their day and then get back to work.
3. Make homework fun─ “A parent of a former student told me that she would toss out multiplication tables while they were washing the dishes together,” says Thomas Andrews, a retired private elementary school teacher from Orlando, Florida.  “Learning is not confined to the school. It occurs everywhere. Trying to relate your child’s lessons to the real world may prove to be the link to a better understanding of the lesson.”
4. Stay involved and offer positive feedback─ Parents should always check over the homework together with their child when it has been completed.  If there were any difficulties encountered while working on it, discuss them together.  Praise your children for their accomplishments.