Finding the right tutors is a challenge, especially for unusual subjects, including music, math, or language. A tutor that is perfect for one person may not be the right fit for another person. Online tutor databases make it easier to find tutors for the subjects you need, but without the right criteria, hiring a tutor online is little more than a shot in the dark. Before you sign up with a tutor and spend your hard-earned money, consider the following points to ensure you receive the best instruction possible.
Qualifications
Your tutor should be qualified to teach in the area in which you need instruction. Certified teachers or professors often make the best instructors, but any tutor with a University degree in that subject area should have enough experience to provide proper instruction except for the very highest instruction levels. Choose a tutor with several years of tutoring or teaching experience to ensure they can provide the best instructions possible. Even University students can provide effective tutoring instruction for primary levels.
Success Rate
Ask potential tutors if they can show how their instruction improved the knowledge of past students. Some tutors may give a pre and post-test to students to show their progress. Other tutors may use student’s marks as proof of their teaching abilities. Try to choose a tutor that consistently helps students raise their marks above the necessary passing rate in each subject. If you only want the tutor for non-academic instruction, ask for references from the tutor’s past students and present colleagues.
Availability
Your tutor should be available when you need instruction. Some tutors have set office hours for each student, such as one hour a week. Others provide more flexible contact, allowing students to contact them by online chat or e-mail, ensuring that your questions are answered whenever you need an answer. Choose a tutor that fits your schedule. If you want additional instruction, or longer tutoring sessions, make sure you notify your tutor in advance. Some tutors may not have the option to extend sessions due to other students or scheduling issues.
Teaching Methods
Your tutor should provide instruction in a way that you can clearly understand. Not everyone learns the same way, and your tutor should try several different teaching methods until the both of you find the right teaching method for your learning style. Tutors that offer a multi-sensory approach to teaching usually see the best results and provide the most lasting knowledge to students. Before hiring a tutor, ask him or her what teaching methods the tutor uses to ensure each student understands the material and advances in knowledge.
Personality
In an ideal world, everyone would get along with each other. In the real world, however, some personalities just do not work well together. Before hiring any tutor, set up an interview or trial session to determine if you and the tutor have compatible personalities. An introverted student may not want a tutor that is loud and boisterous, and an active student may not work as well with a tutor that relies on old-fashioned teaching methods. Gauge the personality of potential tutors before signing up for long-term instruction to avoid frustration due to personality conflicts.
Price
Not all tutors charge the same rate. Your rate will vary depending on the qualifications of the tutor, the subject material, and the length and frequency of your sessions. Expect to pay higher rates for higher-level instruction. In general, you can find the best price rate by using a math tutor, language tutor, or any other kind of tutor location service. These location services keep a list of the best tutors in your area and can help you quickly find the best tutor for your subject at a low price. Most referral services only charge a small fee and can really make the difference between finding the prefect tutor and finding a dud.
Using the above criteria will help you locate the best tutor for your needs, and can prevent costly mistakes that can have a poor impact on future marks and your progress into your chosen field. It is possible to find a qualified tutor for any subject if you use the right selection tools and interview process to find your prefect match.
Citations:
This is a guest post by Elisabeth Conaty, part time blogger and full time tutor. Elisabeth currently represents first tutors a great resource for English tutors.
