Summer Tutoring
Summer tutoring is a great way to help your child get a little extra help without having to worry about all the stresses that an average school day brings. This help may be needed because your child has fallen behind in one or two subjects or it may be because you want to give him or her an extra advantage at school the next year. Regardless of your intention, finding an effective and affordable tutor to assist your child can be an easy and beneficial process if you follow these helpful tips.
First, find a tutor who is patient and flexible. Talk to the tutor about his or her philosophy in teaching. You child needs to gain confidence through this experience. Will he or she be able to do that working with this person? Does this person seem compassionate? How many children has he or she worked with before? What age group does he or she primarily tutor? What kind of teaching experience does he or she have? Second, make sure the tutor is proficient in the subject that he or she is teaching. This is crucial to your child’s success.
Before you choose a tutor, you should try to pinpoint exactly what areas your child needs help in. For example, were there particular concepts in math or science that he had difficulty with? Did your child have trouble understanding how to compose and write a paper? Does your child need help once a week, twice a week, or every day? Is the tutor available to work on your timetable? If not, is there an adequate substitute?
Where will you find a suitable tutor? Depending on the type of area you live in, you may be limited in resources. Check local schools to see if teachers are willing to give up some of their summer to work with your child. Larger urban areas may have professional tutors for hire.
Third, discuss learning styles with the tutor. A good tutor should be knowledgeable about this concept. Every child learns differently and the key to helping them retain information is to communicate to them in their learning style. There are three basic types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic. Children who have a visual style learn by seeing and doing. They take detailed notes, sit up front and benefit from illustrations and presentations that use color. Children who have an auditory style learn by hearing and listening. They sit where they can hear the lecture and learn material by reading it out loud because this helps them understand it better. Children who have a tactile or kinesthetic style learn by touching or doing, are very active and take frequent breaks when studying. They speak with their hands and prefer to learn through hands-on experience. A good tutor will understand how to identify these styles and base the tutoring curriculum and session around them. As a parent, it is also beneficial to know these as well.
Lastly, know your budget and what you are able to spend. How much do you want to pay for a tutor? Do you want a private tutor or do you want your child to participate in a tutoring program through a school? Tutoring costs can range from paying a private tutor $10 to 20 an hour to paying a school tutoring program $500 for four weeks. The cost will also depend on where you live. It is not unreasonable to expect to pay $45 to $60 an hour in urban areas. The subject matter also factors into the tutoring cost. The more difficult the subject, the higher amount you will pay.
Summer tutoring offers a chance for your child to get ahead or stay focused on a specific subject that he or she may be having difficulty with. Being knowledgeable about your options can help you make the best informed decision. Your child will benefit from a tutoring opportunity and will hopefully be well prepared for the next school year by the time fall arrives.
