Look for a tutor within the school itself. This will depend on the type of school. In a high school, the student or parent should ask the guidance counselor for tutoring services offered at the school. The National Honor Society chapter at your school may have a peer tutoring program. For a college or university, consider posting an ad for a tutor on bulletin boards in the math department and the student's dorm. Some schools may allow online web ads for students looking for tutors and available tutors. Make a list of candidates.
Research tutoring services. For example, WyzAnt offers tutoring services in a variety of subjects, including math. TutorsTeach operates a national math tutor database, which you can search to find a math tutor in your area. Prepare a list of candidates.
Contact five or six tutors. Use proximity, education credentials, subject relevance and tutoring experience as your criteria for selecting from the lists. Arrange mutually acceptable appointments.
Interview the candidates. Ask them about their qualifications. Be specific. For example, if the tutor is currently enrolled in a college degree program or in high school, ask what math courses he has taken. Ask to see a transcript. Ask about their tutoring experiences.
Get names and contact information of at least two references. Ask the references about the tutor's reliability and teaching ability. Hire the tutor that best meets your criteria.
Evaluate the tutor's methods on the first day. See if the tutor is engaging the student and establishing a rapport. Determine if the subject matter is being covered appropriately, examples are being used and the student is learning the basic concepts.
Talk to the student. You can do this during a break in the tutoring session or after the tutor leaves. Ask how the tutoring went and if the student feels comfortable continuing with this particular tutor. If there is a good fit, schedule additional tutoring sessions. If not, call one of the other tutors you interviewed and start the evaluation process over.