Factors To Consider When Choosing A Tutor

Private tutoring is a flourishing business as, the industry has a valuation of approximately billions of dollars. But does it give you value for what it’s worth? Also, how does one pick an option from the myriad that are out there?

Factors To Consider When Choosing A Tutor
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Author: David Dabney with Firefly Tutors. Aug 18, 2021

Private tutoring is a flourishing business as,  the industry has a valuation of approximately billions of dollars. But does it give you value for what it’s worth? Also, how does one pick an option from the myriad that are out there?

If you are thinking of choosing a tutor, here are 3 factors to consider:

Your Goal

If your aim is to pass an individual test or a class or simply obtain some other short-term result, that is called a performance goal. But if you want to grasp an idea and how it can be transferable to different situations, that is a learning goal.

While both performance and learning goals are both important, in general, learning should be prioritized over performance. Learning will lead to better performance, but at its own pace.

The Teaching Methods of the Tutor

Tutoring is good when students are actively participating in the process, not just being silent while the tutor teaches.

  • If the student gets a question correct, does the tutor simply praise the child and carry on? Or does the tutor sometimes ask questions to check what the child is thinking? It is helpful for students when these questions are posed, as sometimes students give the right answer for the question, but then make mistakes on other types of similar questions but posed in another manner.
  • If the student makes a mistake, does the tutor simply tell the child to do it another way? Or does the tutor ask the child why he/she made that choice? Again, the student’s explanation helps the tutor to learn more about how the student approaches these problems and to spot any flaws in his/her thinking.

In many situations, the tutor should try to check the student’s thinking and correct it, instead of simply telling the child the right way of doing things. Here are a few instances when thinking needs to be checked:

Keep Expectations Reasonable

While tutoring is usually more likely to benefit a student than not, research on tutoring has opposing findings because there are so many factors affecting the process. For example, tutor expertise in a subject might improve student performance, but it makes no observable learning differences.

Another reason why research is contradictory is that student characteristics vary. For example, some students may exert more effort or be more motivated than others. External factors such as the teaching in the classroom and living conditions also affect tutoring. Therefore, the effects of tutoring are limited. Spending too much time on tuition can impact students negatively as well. Due to the extra expenses of hiring a private tutor, students may find themselves to be in more debt than they imagined.

Firefly Tutors, presented by A+ In Home Tutors, is one of the leading tutor vendors around the country. They provide customized learning for students from any background and any age. Selecting the right tutor can be challenging. Firefly Tutors help parents match students with the best in-home tutors to help them succeed. 

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