6 Signs It's Time for a Tutor

Students see tutors for a variety of reasons. Here are six clues that your child may need one.

1. Your student's grades are slipping. Let's start with the obvious. While grades aren’t everything, they can be a useful indicator of when your child needs an academic intervention. If their grades are suffering across the board, or if one subject is significantly worse than the others, it's a sign they need some academic support. The earlier the intervention, the better.

2. They aren't doing their homework. Some reluctance when it comes to doing homework is normal, of course -- there are plenty of things your student would rather be doing – but if it’s a constant battle to get your student to start or complete their homework, it’s time to involve a tutor. Failure or reluctance to do homework should not be attributed to laziness; their reluctance could be related to an undiagnosed learning disability, underdeveloped executive functioning skills, lack of confidence, depression, or anxiety. A tutor can help identify the cause and help your child overcome any challenges they may be facing.

3. They refuse to go to school. Just like failure to complete homework, school refusal can be a symptom of a bigger problem. If your child is exhibiting school refusal behavior, it's important to get to the bottom of it quickly and minimize the educational, social, and emotional impact.

4. They aren't confident in their academic performance. In early elementary school, students begin comparing their performance with their peers'. Students with learning disabilities often rate their performance as lower than that of their peers, and this can lead to negative social and emotional consequences. If you're hearing statements from your student like, "I'm bad at math" or "I can't do it," it's time to intervene and change those thought patterns! A tutor can assist them in learning the material and help to change their attitudes toward it.

5. They have just been diagnosed with a learning disability or you suspect they have one. Students with disabilities frequently don't receive the support they need in school. This can be the result of bias against students with disabilities or of overworked & under-resourced teachers and counselors. A private tutor who has experience with disabilities can work with your student one on one to make sure they are getting the support they need.

6. They seem apathetic or unmotivated when it comes to school. Apathy or lack of motivation can be signs that the curriculum is not sufficiently engaging or challenging for your student. Differentiated instruction at school can help, as can a tutor who is able to provide education suited to your child's specific interests and abilities.

If any of these apply to your child, it's time to enlist a tutor, and start your child on their way toward improved learning, better grades, and higher confidence.