To Seek Tutoring or Not

From the middle to the end of any semester, I start receiving calls from worried parents for tutor referrals.  What I’ve learned in my decade of experience is that families hire tutors for a variety of reasons.  Being clear on the specific reasons for engaging a tutor can make the the tutoring relationship the most productive.  If the student is seeking understanding, the tutor may have to create lesson plans and bring in other reference materials besides the class textbook to explain the concepts.  If an improved grade is the goal, homework assistance with the tutor teaching “tricks” to arrive at the correct answer may be all that’s needed. The more clear a student can be about her/his aims for seeking tutoring the more direction can be given to guide the tutor’s efforts.  Then, not only does the student achieve her/his aim, the money spent was worthwhile.