How To Choose A Home Tutor
Here, we share some tips on how to choose a good home tutor.
1.
Have a talk with your child or his/her teachers to find out which subjects they are struggling with.
Grades are an obvious indicator.
From here, you may wish to consider group tuition or one-to-one home tuition.
Each has its pros and cons.
2.
Familiarize yourself with the different types of home teachers.
-Undergraduates and 'A' Level students make up the bulk of home tuition providers.
They have relevant knowledge but may lack teaching know-how.
- Current and ex-school teachers have much teaching experience due to having to deal with a wide group of kids.
However, school teachers command higher fees and have tighter schedules.
- Full-time tutors fill the gap between part-time tutors and teachers.
With tuition being their livelihood, full-time tutors often combine the best of both part-time tutors and teachers.
3.
Enquire about a tutor's teaching and/or tutoring experience - Has the tutor taught in tuition centres, schools or as a private home tutor? - How long has the tutor been teaching? Tutors who have established teaching records are typically preferred.
However, younger tutors do well in this field too, most being more familiar with the latest syllabus.
They may also have a fresh or more flexible teaching approach.
4.
Find out which academic levels and subjects the tutor is teaching.
- What are the tutor's grades for the subject(s) he is teaching? Note that grades achieved years ago may be not be fully reflective of a tutor's command of the subject now.
- Does the tutor specialize in any particular subject and academic level? Specialization indicates how strong the tutor is in the subject and his/her familiarity with the syllabus.
5.
Ask about tuition fees.
Tuition fees can vary significantly even due to factors such as tutor experience, qualifications, location etc.
Call up tuition agencies for a quote or talk to friends and relatives.
Generally, the higher one goes up the academic ladder, the fewer the number of capable tutors, resulting in higher fees for junior college and university level tutors.
6.
Speak with a few candidates before deciding on one.
This is popularly done via phone "interviews" and can be arranged via the tuition agency.
Speaking with your child's potential teacher helps both sides establish rapport as chemistry is necessary for lessons to run smoothly.
This is especially so when tutoring lower primary students.
You may also politely request to see a tutor's certificates.
7.
Assess the candidate's personality.
A good candidate who is considerate, pleasant yet knowledgeable, firm but patient is ideal.
Personality is not easy to fully assess in a short while so it is important to try to bring them out while reviewing a tutor.
Considering that a child sees the education providers on a frequent basis, you would want an individual who can project a positive influence.
Ultimately, when your child has success working with his/her tutor, be prepared for an improvement in results!
1.
Have a talk with your child or his/her teachers to find out which subjects they are struggling with.
Grades are an obvious indicator.
From here, you may wish to consider group tuition or one-to-one home tuition.
Each has its pros and cons.
2.
Familiarize yourself with the different types of home teachers.
-Undergraduates and 'A' Level students make up the bulk of home tuition providers.
They have relevant knowledge but may lack teaching know-how.
- Current and ex-school teachers have much teaching experience due to having to deal with a wide group of kids.
However, school teachers command higher fees and have tighter schedules.
- Full-time tutors fill the gap between part-time tutors and teachers.
With tuition being their livelihood, full-time tutors often combine the best of both part-time tutors and teachers.
3.
Enquire about a tutor's teaching and/or tutoring experience - Has the tutor taught in tuition centres, schools or as a private home tutor? - How long has the tutor been teaching? Tutors who have established teaching records are typically preferred.
However, younger tutors do well in this field too, most being more familiar with the latest syllabus.
They may also have a fresh or more flexible teaching approach.
4.
Find out which academic levels and subjects the tutor is teaching.
- What are the tutor's grades for the subject(s) he is teaching? Note that grades achieved years ago may be not be fully reflective of a tutor's command of the subject now.
- Does the tutor specialize in any particular subject and academic level? Specialization indicates how strong the tutor is in the subject and his/her familiarity with the syllabus.
5.
Ask about tuition fees.
Tuition fees can vary significantly even due to factors such as tutor experience, qualifications, location etc.
Call up tuition agencies for a quote or talk to friends and relatives.
Generally, the higher one goes up the academic ladder, the fewer the number of capable tutors, resulting in higher fees for junior college and university level tutors.
6.
Speak with a few candidates before deciding on one.
This is popularly done via phone "interviews" and can be arranged via the tuition agency.
Speaking with your child's potential teacher helps both sides establish rapport as chemistry is necessary for lessons to run smoothly.
This is especially so when tutoring lower primary students.
You may also politely request to see a tutor's certificates.
7.
Assess the candidate's personality.
A good candidate who is considerate, pleasant yet knowledgeable, firm but patient is ideal.
Personality is not easy to fully assess in a short while so it is important to try to bring them out while reviewing a tutor.
Considering that a child sees the education providers on a frequent basis, you would want an individual who can project a positive influence.
Ultimately, when your child has success working with his/her tutor, be prepared for an improvement in results!
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