Is your child struggling at school? Or maybe they just needs a little extra help with their studies?
Whether a child is struggling at school, or is in need of achieving a specific goal, such as retaking A Levels to achieve the desired exam results, a personal tutor may be the best option in this circumstance, as the one to one tuition they provide can assist with these goals, and stretch children with exceptional skills to new heights of their ability.
How to Choose the Right Tutor
Tutors can be professionals from a whole range of different backgrounds, Including:
- Retired Teachers
- Teachers who want to earn some extra money
- Students or recent graduates
A lot of tutors work through a tutoring agency, which will give you the peace of mind that they all meet the academic and personal requirements demanded by professional tutoring organisations, which also ensure a complete CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.
What Style of Teaching is Available?
Tutors provide many different approaches to teaching. Everyone learns in their unique way and at their own pace, therefore, a tutor can tailor a student’s learning experience so that it works best for them individually.
This could mean that electronic teaching materials are used over paper-based equivalents, or that study sessions should include certain learning techniques that will support the student’s needs.
Where can Studying Take Place?
This is an important consideration as you will need to decide where a child is best suited to study. Some tutors can come to your home, which can be beneficial if you don’t have time take your child to and from another location.
Or there is the option of studying taking place in a public area like a library. This is good if your living situation isn’t ideal for a visiting tutor. It can also help a student by blocking out the distraction of home comforts.
Some tutors allow students to come to their home, which can be beneficial as certain materials can be better accessed and students are in a professional environment.
Ultimately the right decision on this issue is what feels best for the student.
What are the Costs?
Cost is an important consideration when deciding on a personal tutor. Fees can fluctuate depending on where you are located, and as a general guide, a qualified personal tutor should be paid the equivalent hourly rate that they would earn working for a school.
The average cost for this would be:
- £25 for primary tuition
- £30 for GCSE tuition
- £40 for A level tuition
If the tutor charges £10 per hour they may not have the adequate training and experience needed to help your child achieve desired results.
You may think the cost of a personal tutor can be expensive, but it is important to remember that you’re paying for several other services in addition to the cost of their time. This includes:
- Preparation and Planning time
- Photocopying / printing costs
- The price of books
- Travel expenses (if the tutor is coming to you).
What should you ask a Tutor?
It is important to ask lots of questions to the potential tutor in order to get an idea of whether they are suitable for your child. Here are some possible questions you may find useful to ask:
- Do they set homework assignments?
- If so, do these assignments require assistance from a parent/guardian?
- Do you charge for missed lessons?
- Where will the tutoring take place?
- Is there a time limit on study sessions?
- Can you show me examples of your past tutoring success?
- Are you available throughout the student’s required period of tutoring?
Tutoring can be extremely beneficial to your child, but this will all depend on you finding the right tutor with the right style for your son or daughter.
Be sure to consult these steps when making decision.