How do you know if you’ve chosen the right tutor for your child? Check in with these helpful guidelines from San Diego tutor Natalie S…
If you’ve arranged for your child to receive academic tutoring, you’re already well on your way to ensuring your child’s success in school. But how can you tell if your child’s tutoring session is on track, or if you are wasting your time and money? Whether your child is working with a tutor in one specific subject, for a particular test, or just for general upkeep and review of material, it can often take a while for you to see tangible results. Here are some quick, monthly check-in tips to help you identify if your child’s tutoring program is a success.
One Month
After initially finding a tutor, one of the first things you and your child should do is create a list of realistic and specific goals. For example, if your child is getting assistance with essay writing, one of the goals might be to clearly write a thesis that includes all of the necessary elements for a cohesive statement. At the one month mark, check in to make sure your child is making progress toward these goals. Having a physical list of what your child wants or needs to accomplish will help you determine if your tutor is truly helping.
Three Months
Check your child’s academic grades, and review your tutor’s study tips and teaching process. Part of the reason you initially started to work with a tutor is presumably to improve your child’s grades or test scores. After he/she has spent a few months with the tutor, take a look at exams, essays, and homework during that time. Are your child’s scores improving? Does your child connect with and respond to the tutor’s teaching practices? If so, then your child and tutor are probably right on track. Remember to be realistic with the amount of improvement you expect after only three months. Remember, academic improvements take time!
Six Months
By this point, the majority of your child’s major tests, homework assignments, or classes are close to finishing for the school year. This is a good time to revisit that list of goals your child made at the beginning of the tutoring process. Has your child accomplished or come close to accomplishing all of the goals? Has your child been able to implement on his/her own a few of those study tips that the tutor has provided? If not, discuss with your child and his/her tutor, and make a plan together for how to successfully move forward and accomplish all of the goals.
One Year
The number one way you can check the success of your child’s tutor after a year of working together is to simply talk with your child. Ask him/her if the last year’s worth of tutoring sessions was helpful, and check in to see if he/she is interested in extending the sessions into the next academic year. Subject matters change from school year to school year, and it’s possible your child won’t need a tutor anymore. However, if they find having an outside source to be helpful, then you know that your child’s tutoring program is a success.
Ready to connect with a tutor now? Check out TakeLessons to find a tutor with the qualities and credentials that meet your and your child’s needs.
Natalie S. tutors English, ESL, History, Phonics, Reading, andTest Prep in San Diego, as well as through online lessons. She received her BA in English Education at the University of Delaware, and her MA in English Literature at San Diego State University. Learn more about Natalie here!
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Suzy S.