When is it a good idea to get a tutor and who needs a tutor? Well, a tutor is someone who can be a specialist in their field and who sometimes also has a teaching qualification. Teachers become tutors sometimes, either to earn extra income or to help their pupils to do better in their subjects. But tutors can also come from all areas such as students, professionals and family members.

There are two types of situation in which getting a tutor is a good idea. If a child is finding it a struggle to understand a subject at school or is not keeping up with lessons because they do not understand what the teacher is talking about then it should be discussed with them. Similarly if they are finding it hard to understand that homework that is being set for them and you can see that they do not know how to answer the questions, then certainly think about getting a tutor for them.

They might find it embarrassing to tell you that they don’t understand, and also in front of the other class members they will not admit that they don’t know how to answer the questions. In this case a specialized tutor will give them the confidence they need to catch up with the rest of the class and do better both at home and at school.

Another situation where a child needs a tutor is if they are excelling in a particular subject. This can be maths, science, art, music – whatever subject it is, you might find that they are bored in class because they already know how to do what is being taught. This can manifest in many ways. They can be uninterested in the subject and sit there being bored, so the teacher might tell you that they don’t pay attention in class, or worse, they can be disruptive! Often particularly clever children do get bored very quickly and look for excitement by causing the excitement themselves.

In both these situations, a child would benefit from a tutor in the specialized subject.
How to find a tutor can be difficult. From the many different people available, you need to find one who will get on with your child and fit with the way that they learn and need to be taught. Word of mouth can be a good source. Ask other parents if they know anyone good. Sometimes there are adverts in local newsagent. These can be good because you need someone who is local to the area in which you live.

You may be able to visit tutoring agencies that have several people on their books. These are often good because they provide a consistent framework of payment and schedule, and the tutors are very disciplined and turn up when they say and do what they are supposed to do. If you do decide to go for a tutor, be sure to explore all the possibilities before picking the best person.