Old tests and homework provide an important resource for tutors when they start to work with students. The tutor can look through these and quickly assess the student's individual strengths and weaknesses. Then, she can use this knowledge to tailor tutoring sessions and make them more efficient and effective.
Assessing a chosen tutor to determine whether he fits well with the student's learning style will potentially save money and ensure a more successful tutoring experience. If you are a parent hiring a tutor for your child, do not hesitate to listen in on the first couple of lessons. Also, ask the student his opinion of the tutor and the tutor's teaching style. Look for a tutor who maintains an interactive style, responds flexibly to the students questions and remains positive and encouraging. More importantly, do not hesitate to change tutors if he does not meet your expectations.
Communication goes a long way toward maximizing the rewards of hiring a tutor. Ask the tutor to give you detailed feedback about the tutoring sessions. Suggestions for extra practice work, resources and information about any particular problems the student has encountered all remain valuable even after the time with the tutor ends. Give the student's teacher the tutor's contact information and the tutor a way of reporting the student's progress to the teacher. A face-to-face meeting is even better.
Hiring a tutor before the student starts having major difficulties can save a tremendous amount of time and money. Frustration, procrastination and fear all provide better indicators than grades that a student needs a tutor. A tutor hired while the student is still in middle school will be able to provide more lasting benefits than a tutor hired for a junior or senior in high school. Furthermore, because classes in high school require more in-depth and faster-paced work, tutoring sessions for older students tend to be longer and more expensive.
Many times students lag behind in math simply because they have not done the work to keep up. You and the tutor should both help alleviate any fears the student has about completing work, or math in general. However, to have the student ready for each tutoring session, ensure that she has completed any assigned work and any extra work the tutor recommended. Do not pay the tutor to watch the student while she does all of her homework.