Tutoring - 3 questions you need to ask: One-to-one? Personalised? Qualifications and Experience?

What should I look for in a tutor?  3 Key Questions to ask:

A great tutor, like a specialist doctor, an honest mechanic or independent surveyor, is worth their weight in gold.  With the market largely unregulated and so many big companies keen to cash in - how do you know what to look for? 

1)      One-to-one?    

There are currently two main types of tutoring – group tutoring or one to one tutoring.  Group tutoring is big business, it is widely publicised, easily accessible but normally ties you into a contract and is often very expensive.    Many of my pupils in Warwickshire www.warwickshiretutor.com have previously tried group tuition with little benefit and are amazed by how rapidly they see results when their child has the undivided attention of a qualified teacher.

2)      Personalised? 

Personalised tutoring tends to yield very rapid results, it can focus exclusively on the specific areas that child needs help with: spelling problems, learning times tables, difficulty writing, mental maths, reading problems or preparing for exams.  With years of experience tutoring and classroom teaching, I can tailor lessons to suit each pupil’s weaknesses , learning styles, personality and interests (whether it is football, kittens, motorbikes or Doctor Who).    

Unfortunately, most tutoring on offer is based on a prescribed programme of worksheets or computer-based learning.  The benefits to the companies running these programmes is that they are cheap to administer and remove the need for educational professionals; in my opinion, some are just ineffective whilst others distinctly worrying. 

Also, if your child has any additional needs, such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, ADHD, ADD, ASD, Autism, Aspergers or disabilities, then I think it also worth finding a specialist tutor who will give them the support they deserve.  As a dyslexia specialist in Warwickshire and also being dyslexic myself, I know that finding the right tutor can have an enormous impact upon your child’s achievement and self-esteem.   (If you think your child might be dyslexic, you might be interested to look at www.warwickshiretutor.com/dyslexiachecklist.html  )

3)       Qualifications and Experience?   

The best way to find a tutor has to be word of mouth, so ask around – recent surveys show that most children in the UK receive tutoring of some kind, at some point.  Think about what you want in a tutor – do you want an established tutor with years of experience, or a student needing a bit of extra cash to get them through college?  My advice, is to find someone local, who has a good reputation and think about whether you want someone to come to your home or to go to their house (for example, pupils from Coventry, Leamington, Warwick, Stratford, Rugby, Solihull and Birmingham come to my home in Kenilworth). 

As a qualified primary school teacher, I am amazed by the fact that anyone can set themselves up as a tutor, without any teaching qualifications whatsoever.   I know it takes courage to ask for someone’s qualifications, but it may save a lot of time and wasted money.  Every tutor is different and so it is worth finding someone who is experienced at teaching the subject your child struggles with (e.g. Maths, English, Dyslexia) and also the correct level (SATs,  11+,  Entrance Exams,  GCSEs,  KS2,  KS1 or Reception)

Finally, safety should also be an important consideration, at the very least, do they have a CRB check?  I think any reputable tutor should be able to give you a list of testimonials, for example www.warwickshiretutor.com/testimonials.html   and also some parents you can phone to put your mind at rest.