If your child is stuck in a rut, or just can’t seem to grasp a certain subject like math or English, you may want to consider a tutor. Tutors are not just for when someone is struggling with a subject, but also for when they are not being challenged enough. If you are considering hiring a tutor for your child, here is a list of pros and cons to help you in your decision making process.
Pros
- Personal Attention- When in a classroom a teacher cannot always halt the entire lesson to explain a problem over again for one student. With a tutor, children have the time to keep asking all of their questions until they understand the concept.
- Work at Their Own Pace - When your child gets this one-on-one attention, they get to work at their own pace and can keep going over something until they fully grasp it.
- Tailored Study Time [1] - A one-on-one tutoring session is tailored to the student's specific needs and how they need to study, which is not available in the traditional classroom. This can be especially helpful to children with learning obstacles like dyslexia and ADHD [2].
- Learn Good Study Habits - Tutorhub explains that a good tutor also teaches time management, handy tips like what and how to focus on summarizing and titles while skimming, and strategies like paying attention to what the teacher emphasizes in class, so that they can better predict they content on future tests [2].
- You See Real Results - Enlighten me says that sessions with private tutors often result in dramatic improvements in grades, entrance exam scores and test scores - and for many students, only a few sessions are needed before improvements are seen [1].
Cons
- It's Expensive - Care.com says that you should expect to pay anything from $10-$15 an hour for a high school student, and up to $75 an hour for a certified teacher with experience as a tutor [3].
- Time Consuming - Going to a tutor can take up a lot of time. This may take time out of a child's other extracurricular activities like sports and music, which are equally important to a child's growth and development [2].
- Conflicting Personalities - Personality conflicts can arise between students and their tutors, which can hinder their sessions. Before officially hiring a tutor or signing a contract (if required) ask if they would be willing to have a trial run for free or half price to make sure they can work well together.
- Accessibility and Transportation - Figuring out transportation in rural areas can be difficult especially if the tutor is under the driving age. Be sure to work this out and make arrangements well in advance.
- Finding Quality - Quality can be hard to find. Do your research and ask around your network for a few recommendations. Word of mouth can be the best source when it comes to finding a quality tutor you can not only trust, but who is reliable.
If your child needs a tutor, don't let something like price stand in the way of their education. Many schools offer after or before school tutoring, or their teacher may agree to meet with them at a scheduled time outside of class. Some tutoring centers and agencies also offer scholarships for their services, ask about how your child may qualify [3].
Sources:
[1] Pros and Cons of Using a Private Tutor, Enlighten Me
[2] Private Tutoring: The Pros and Cons of Getting Some Extra Help, Tutorhub
[3] The Tutor Guide: Tutoring Fees, Care.com
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