September 14, 2018
Some Long Island parents feel that hiring a tutor means their child has a learning disability. In most situations that isn’t the case at all. There are many reasons why a child’s school work many be suffering – ranging from various distractions to not being challenged enough, to needing a different teaching method or having a unique learning style.
A tutor can help a child steer their focus back to their school work and hone in on areas that need special attention. Since tutors are working privately and outside of the traditional school environment, they have the flexibility to use games, activities and specialized, personal, one-on-one approaches to help keep a child interested in specific study material. Some tutors focus on online sessions which allows them to use video games and apps to help students learn and keeps them interacting and engaged.
All children learn better when they are fully engaged with the lesson. Most kids will simply lose focus if the lesson is non-interactive and boring and hiring a tutor can turn that around and help a student thrive and grow. Here are some signs it’s time to hire a tutor.
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Lack of Focus
One of the earliest signs that your child may need the assistance of a tutor is when you notice that they get distracted from doing their homework.
This can be a cause of extreme frustrations for your child and put their confidence and self esteem at risk.
Whatever the reason for distraction, it’s important as a parent that you guide the process by first discussing the issues with the child’s teacher to address if outside help is the best answer and then start the process of selecting a tutor to help your child focus again.
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Grades are Dropping
Some parents don’t hire a tutor the first time their child’s grades decline. They wait until they see a repeating pattern and grades continuing to go down. Others hire help as soon as they realize their child’s grades aren’t as high as they once were. As a parent you know your child better than anyone else. You’ll know if their decreasing grades are a one-time issue or if it’s becoming a real problem that needs a tutor’s assistance. You shouldn’t panic if your child’s grades start declining. The first step is to ask them why their grades are going down. Getting them involved and aware will be a big part of discovering the root cause of the decline and help determine whether your child needs a tutor.
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Your Child Is Working Hard With No Improvement
Just because your child’s grades are going down doesn’t mean they aren’t trying. They might spend a whole afternoon working on basic lessons and still not achieve desirable results. Hiring a tutor can expedite the comprehension process. Tutors are skilled at recognizing how and why children don’t catch on to a particular lesson. Most tutors have creative ways to help the child understand and learn. Not every child learns the same way. In the classroom, students often remain seated and listen to the teacher’s lecture. While some students thrive under this system, others don’t. Your child may simply fall into the latter group. A tutor will recognize this problem and can determine what kind of teaching method will work best for your child.
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Limited Parental Time
Most adults have been out of school for a long time. Many parents today may no longer fully understand the lessons their children are taking. If the parents can’t understand a lesson, they can’t help teach it to their kids. The chances for help parents can diminishes when they get too busy with other work and home responsibilities. That’s when it’s time to hire a tutor. You don’t necessarily need a tutor to visit the house. An online tutor can work too. For example, if your child has trouble understanding complex math equations, hiring an online math tutor is a potentially smart alternative.
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Lack of Confidence
Some children are slow learners, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t smart. They only need more time or a different approach to grasp the lessons.
The typical classroom set-up doesn’t always allow for extra time or a custom learning method. This may result in your child falling behind through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, some students may feel bullied and laughed at for their poor performance, which sadly can only make the problem worse by adding emotional stress and lack of confidence in their abilities, causing their grades will decline further.
4 Tips for Finding a Good Tutor on Long Island
There are more options to find a good tutor on Long Island now than ever before. You can start with searching with local agencies, or through community resources and online searches.
- Outline your goals and needs.
- Look for a tutor with a background in teaching children the same age as your child.
- Find a tutor with expertise in the subjects where your child needs extra help.
- Look for a personality match.
