Private tutoring is a growing industry and is estimated to reach a whopping $201.8 billion by 2026.
But is it worth the hype? And more importantly, how do you choose the right tutor among all the available options?
From qualification and experience to cost and teaching style, there’s a lot to consider when looking for a tutor. So here are 7 tips to help you find the best tutor for your needs.
Set clear goals.
Simply hiring any tutor in your subject isn’t going to cut it. You need to ensure they can meet your expectations in your learning journey. Meaning that you need to check if their educational background and teaching experience are up to par and align with your educational goals.
Say you need help with your university math assignment. An elementary school teacher isn’t going to work here. You need help from a tutor who has experience teaching high school students at least. Spectrum Tuition, on the other hand, specialises in grades Prep to year 12.
The same applies to learning foreign languages. For example, if you are looking to get started with Dutch, a tutor with intermediate Dutch fluency will work. But if you’re looking to take your language skills to the next level, you’ll need someone who’s more experienced and extremely fluent in Dutch.
It all comes down to one thing — you must clearly define your educational goals before hiring a tutor.
Start with your school teachers.
When it comes to finding the right tutor for your child, you can never go wrong with their teachers. School teachers are already well aware of what your child needs and more importantly, your child will already have a good comfort level and rapport with them.
Plus, they are thoroughly familiar with the school’s curriculum, which means you won’t have to run back and forth coordinating your child’s tuition and school work.
You can check in with the school’s guidance counsellor, who usually keeps a list of teachers who tutor as well. Another good option is asking a class fellow or a local high schooler to step in. This is called peer tutoring and has several benefits that you can read here.
Use an online tutoring service.
If you find it challenging to find a good tutor in person, using an online tutoring service like Cluey Learning can be a great way to get started.
Online tutoring sites offer one-on-one tutoring sessions and discounted prices for monthly plans. You can find tutors on a wide range of subjects, such as social sciences, math, medical sciences, and engineering.
And the best thing about these services is that you aren’t limited to local tutors. You can work with talented tutors from all over the world. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about in-person classes and the hassle of moving your child to and from tutoring sessions because all sessions are conducted virtually.
Of course, since online learning exposes your child to the internet, it comes with several risks. Here’s how you can ensure your kids remain safe when learning online.
Consider your child’s learning style.
Learning is a unique experience, so a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work here. Not all of us learn the same way — some grasp concepts better with visual aids, while others prefer a written explanation.
So a tutor perfect for someone else may not work for your child. This is why a good tutor needs to start by carefully assessing your child’s learning style.
Before hiring a tutor, you must ask their views on different learning styles and whether they have a way of assessing what teaching strategies will be the most suitable for your child.
Use references.
It’s always a good idea to get someone else’s opinion when looking for a tutor. This way, you won’t run into any unfortunate surprises.
Remember, when you hire a private tutor, you’ll be entrusting your child into the hands of another adult. So it makes sense to ask someone who has already tried and tested the expertise of the tutor and can vouch for their character.
This is why references are an excellent tool when you’re trying to find a good tutor.
Similarly, online testimonials are another good tool to judge the quality of a tutor. When reading testimonials, keep in mind that you’ll always come across negative reviews no matter how good a tutor is (it’s hard to please everyone). So make sure to judge a tutor by what the majority of the reviews are saying. If most of them are good, the tutor is probably good.
If you find a tutor who checks all the boxes except for one or two, you could bring them up at the interview.
Look for tutors passionate about teaching.
When searching for the right tutor for your child, look for someone genuinely interested in the subject — someone who isn’t just looking for some extra cash.
Set up an interview beforehand to help you find tutors who are passionate about teaching their subjects. Passion plays a great role in teaching, so make sure to ask them why they are interested in the field and get a feel for their excitement for teaching.
This is another reason why it’s a good idea to hire tutors through online tutoring platforms. Online tutors are usually required to submit a video of themselves teaching, which you can use to judge how passionate a tutor is.
Feel free to ask questions.
Finally, when it comes to your child’s learning, you are allowed to ask questions — a lot of them.
The questions you ask a tutor before hiring them depend entirely on what you’re expecting from the tutoring sessions. But here are a few ideas to get you started:
- How much experience do you have as a tutor?
- Are you currently tutoring other children?
- What is the average age of your students?
- What teaching style do you use?
- What is your favorite thing about teaching?
- How do you keep your students attentive in class?
- Are you trained in first aid for children?
- About the Author
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After spending 11 years in London working in the television industry for the BBC, Jennie McNichol made the move to Perth in 2010. As the Co-Founder and Editor of Buggybuddys, she has been able to use her experience and passion for helping families to create a trusted online resource for parents across Perth.
Jennie is the proud mother of two daughters, aged 14 & 12 and is a big advocate of the family-friendly lifestyle that Perth has to offer.
