How to find the best home tutor?

Most of us will ask friends, relatives, neighbours and everyone’s friend “The Google”.

Shortlist three-four tutors by keeping their fee in mind.

We take a demo class/classes from each one and we also observe tutors sometimes.

Finally, ask the student “who is the better one”.

By keeping all these factors in mind – fee, student feedback, and our observation. We appoint the best home tutor.

Best home tutor?

If we are lucky, he or she may be.
But is it always happen?

If we have chosen the best home tutor, then why sometimes a need arises to change it after a few months or for the next session?

Probable answers which parents usually give are

• No effort during lessons; no/minimal improvement in student’s result.
• The tutor was not punctual. He or she frequently cancel/reschedule classes.
• The student got friendly with the tutor, does not obey his/her instructions.
• The tutor was consistently convincing me that result will improve in the next exam, the student had done silly mistakes in these exams, and some questions were beyond the syllabus. We will do better next time.
• As my child/ward was comfortable with the tutor, I did not change the tutor between the sessions but now it’s time to engage a better tutor.
• Tutor did not have the perfect subject knowledge, many times he/she took the help of school notebooks, reference books, and Google.

A tutor with these qualities cannot be categorized as the best home tutor.

These types of tutors are available at low charges compared to professional tutors.

Click here to know – 5 Types of Tutors you should avoid…..

Genuine tuition bureaus like VTTS do not send these types of tutors. But bureaus who do not value their reputation, want to earn money only, usually send these tutors.

Click here to know how VTTS select tutors…..

How should you select the best home tutor?

1. Know your goals

Ask yourself or your child’s school teacher:

a) What level of help do we need?

• • • Does my child need homework help,
    • intensive remediation, or
    • something in between?

b) In which areas tutor has to work:

• • • needs improvement in just one or two subjects;
    • to improve general skills; study skills;
    • need motivation?

c) What do I know about my child’s learning style?

• • • Does he learn best by reading, listening?
    • Does he do better with men or women?
    • Does he need lots of nurturing or a firm hand?
    • What motivates him?

d) How much time and money can you devote to tutoring?

• • • Don’t skimp, but be honest with yourself before you start.
    • When a tutor is available at less charges, you have to think about why he or she is available at these charges.

To know more click – ‘5 types of tutors you should avoid’.

2. Know your options

a) Call your child’s school counsellor or teacher and share your concern.

• • Good counsellors or teachers will have files on her progress throughout her school career,
  • her scores on standardised tests,
  • and notes on possible personality problems.

b) Check out the local paper/Google/online portals. Many good tutors list their credentials there.

c) Call your local branch of a coaching centre or Home tutors bureau. VTTS has a wide range of tutors in terms of qualifications, experience, and charges.

3. Quality vs. Fees

Unfortunately, the fee is often the determining factor in choosing a tutor.

However, it’s more important to look at value.

A more expensive tutor may be a better fit for your child and may be more effective in meeting his/her needs.

Don’t rule him out because of his fees, if you can afford him/her, well in good,

but if you are financially weak, then do good research about few more tutors and select the suitable one but never compromise with the quality of teaching after a certain limit.

Remember: “Expert tutors are costly, but amateur tutors cost more”

4. Test your options

Check credentials carefully.

Ask questions from tutors or tuition agency to see how well their skills match your child’s needs:

1. What type of teaching experience do you have?

Look for a tutor who has worked with students similar in age and ability to your child.

2. How do you evaluate each student’s needs?

Find out whether the tutor will use standardized tests, school reports, or other forms of evaluation to discover your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

3. What tutoring methods do you use?

A skilled tutor will do more than just answer questions and do problems with students.

He will assess your child’s strengths and weaknesses, prepare individualized materials and use “hands-on” materials wherever possible.

He will work hand-in-hand with the classroom teacher, and most of all, give your child a “can-do” attitude and lots of positive reinforcement.

4. What do you expect from me?

Good tutors need a family’s cooperation.

They need parents to contact classroom teachers and ask for cooperation in making tutoring a success:

• • • a copy of the textbook they use;
    • a syllabus of their class or subject;
    • any extra worksheets they have that might facilitate the tutorial process.

5. How do you motivate your students?

Think about what motivates your child, and seek a tutor who uses these methods.

6. What hours are you available?

This question often makes or breaks a deal.

You may have found the perfect tutor, but if she doesn’t fit your schedule you’re out of luck.

7. How long do you expect tutoring to last?

A tutor can become a crutch, so it’s important to get an estimate of how long it will take to help your child develop the skills and confidence to succeed independently.

8. Is there someone I can contact who knows your tutoring skills?

You get references for electricians, doctors, and dentists.

Doesn’t it truly make sense to get a reference for the person who will be working very closely with your child?

Hearing what other students and parents have to say about a tutor can be the best way to find out what they might be like.

9. What is the range of results you see?

How much have other clients improved in the past?

10. Do you set homework?

• • Many tutors choose not to add to the workload of a student.
  • However, a small amount of work (or past papers during exam time) can be beneficial.
  • Make sure your tutor knows your child’s homework schedule so that they don’t become overwhelmed with extra work.

5. Shortlist a tutor based on your requirements

Select a perfect teacher according to your requirements and then take at least 4-5 classes from the tutor so that both get time to adjust according to the nature of each other.

Somehow, if you are not satisfied, discuss it with the tutor/bureau before changing him/her.

6. Be a Partner for Results

a. Watch how your child relates to the tutor.

Sit in on part of a session if possible. Your child must be comfortable if you are there to observe the class.

b. Monitor progress.

Ask for feedback from your child, and see if your child’s grade gradually improves. If, after several sessions, you don’t see improvement or you feel a negative attitude in your child, move on to another tutor.