When should I think about hiring a tutor for my student?
Throughout school, students struggle with several areas. Sometimes their struggle points remain consistent throughout their school years, sometimes it changes every year or two. As a parent, you’re naturally going to be concerned for your child and their learning, but when is the right time to find some extra help via a private tutor? There are several reasons! Let’s take a look at five of them below:
1) Their grades are dropping in a certain subject area.
The most common and surefire way to confirm that your student is struggling in a particular academic subject is by their grades in school. That’s the whole point of the grading system, is to point out where your student is struggling SO THAT they can go get extra help and know to focus more on those struggle areas.
The specifics of this reason is looking for a trend. One bad test does not mean your student doesn’t understand the subject as a whole and is struggling, but trending downward grades would be something to raise an eyebrow at.
2) They have expressed worry about their knowledge in a particular subject.
Even without grades as a reflection, if your student is constantly worrying about their knowledge level in a certain class then it might be time to look at a tutor!
Confidence is key and other than learning basic knowledge that it takes to become a functioning member of society, our school years are there to help us learn HOW to learn so that we can continue learning and growing the rest of our lives.
If your student is expressing concern about their knowledge in a subject area, getting them extra support would not only prevent their grades from falling but would also help bolster their confidence and, therefore, prepare them even more for the world after school!
3) What should take them one hour takes three.
When it comes to homework, students will work at their own pace. Sometimes it takes a bit longer than the teacher intended, but when it takes HOURS longer, that’s a sure sign that your student is struggling in a particular area.
Whether that area is ability to focus, ability to work on their own, or the subject itself…if your student is spending their evenings at the kitchen table with their head in their hands, it’s time for some extra support!
4) They are ahead of the curve.
Sometimes, school just isn’t teaching students fast enough! While some students take longer to process and learn, others zoom ahead! The downfall of this is a feeling of apathy or anxiety when they have nothing to do or are underchallenged.
While it’s wonderful to be labeled a “gifted” child, time and time again this label, and the fast paced learning that causes it, teaches your children that they should already know everything and leads to issues later in adult life.
Overall, it’s better to continue to challenge them! Hiring a tutor to teach them things beyond their grade level will not only help them stay focused and engaged in their learning, but will allow them a better chance at tougher subjects in the future and will NOT allow them to get comfortable knowing “everything”!
5) Their aspirations exceed what is currently on the table.
Some students grow up to work on construction, others grow up to be financial advisors, and others grow up to be astronauts! If their current level of schooling isn’t putting them on track for where they dream to be one day, getting a tutor to help give them extra knowledge and credentials might be a good way to go!
There is no such thing as unskilled labor. Every job requires skills and experience. Some of these skills and experience are expected to be attained BEFORE they go into an entry level position at their dream job…especially in today’s world. Getting extra help to push them further and allow them to gain those credentials won’t only help them in the short run with their grades at school but will be giving them skills they will rely on YEARS in the future!
Conclusion
There are several reasons why you might consider hiring a tutor to get extra support outside of the classroom. Schooling is meant to provide the very basics of education and classrooms are getting more crowded and teachers are more overwhelmed every year! No matter your reason for wanting to hire a tutor, we are here to help!!
If you find that your student is struggling in writing, specifically, please feel free to reach out to me at E.L.A. Tutoring! I have a knack for meeting your student where they currently are and helping them to grow to be the best writer they can be! VISIT THE E.L.A. TUTORING PAGE to find out more or MESSAGE ME TODAY!
Have a fantastic day and stay learning!
E. Lexi Abbott 