Do you think it’s time your child may need extra help outside of school, but how do you know when it’s time to hire a tutor? As soon as you find yourself asking this question, it is probably the right time. Delaying this process risks your child slipping further behind and losing confidence, which is crucial for academic success.
As a professional tutor, I have met many families who were always aware of tutoring services but did not consider them until their child was in serious academic trouble. Although I have seen many students who were failing and then, due to a tutor’s help, were able to pass, it is best not to wait until things get to this point. Ultimately, it is always ideal for parents and students to make a serious appraisal of academic progress early so there are no surprises. If there’s evidence of a specific issue or need, the tutor will already be aware so they can help accordingly. Having a tutor monitor their progress and keep students up to speed can lift a heavy burden off the student’s and parents’ shoulders.
Reasons Why You Should Hire a Tutor
1. Creates Foundation for Further Learning
Did you know, repetition is the mother of learning? I have helped many students bump an “F” up to a “C” with hours of intensive tutoring in the last three weeks of a semester. The problem is that students have trouble retaining this rapidly gained information long-term. For most subjects, the content studied will become the foundation of further learning, whether in high school or college. As such, it is far better to get consistent tutoring for a couple of hours a week throughout the semester than cramming thirty hours into the last three weeks. I have indeed seen this happen. Complex information must be processed gradually to be mastered for the long term.
2. Enables Natural Progression of Concepts
It’s always easier to learn at the same pace but when your child falls behind, it may become challenging for them to play catch up. There is a natural progression of concepts that is upset by waiting until the last minute to catch up on everything. When students try to cram a whole semester of work into the last few weeks or even just the second half of the semester, an inherent tension builds as they try to find a balance between keeping up with the current concepts and learning the fundamentals that are lacking from the beginning of the class. This can significantly undermine student success if you wait too long to hire a tutor!
3. Produces Academic Success
With so much going on with your day-to-day, it is far better to avoid stress whenever possible. So often, students will postpone getting help, putting themselves through a semester of stress, and then make a mad dash over the last few weeks to make up for it. Ultimately, this hurts their educational experience. Reducing the misery of the long academic process will help students produce quality work throughout each course instead of burning out. Being uncomfortable or insecure about one’s progress can also weigh on even the most optimistic student. So keep a close eye on areas of concern early on in each school semester.
In short, an inherent risk is involved in waiting a long time to hire a tutor. Students who struggled to learn from their school instructors, after starting tutoring, began making giant leaps forward. Sadly, at this point, they were already in such a deep hole that the spike in good grades could not balance out the bad grades that had come before.
Don’t Wait! Hire a Tutor and Find the Right Learning Plan for Your Child.