“I don’t want to go to school. I don’t feel well.”
“This homework is stupid.”
“I feel dumb. I just don’t get it.”

    If one of these statements has become a common refrain at your house, it could be that your child needs some extra help in studying or doing homework. A tutor might be the answer.
    Patti Diener, Area Director of Club Z! In-Home Tutoring shares, “When a child is having difficulties learning, there are many ‘warning signs’ which parents or teachers will see, and frequently these aren’t on a report card.” Your student may need a tutor if:
•  You have to fight with your student to do homework
•  They show frustration in a particular subject
•  Your child can’t complete homework assignments in a reasonable amount of time
•  They lie about having homework or try to hide it
•  No matter how hard the student works, grades do not improve
•  The student develops low self-esteem and thinks negatively of themself in regard to school performance
•  Report cards indicate student is not reaching full potential
•  The teacher recommends your student get extra help with homework

Options and Opportunities
    Tutors may come to your home, your student may go to a tutoring center, or your student may obtain help online. Online tutoring tools can include chat, whiteboard, and web conferencing. Online tutoring companies may offer an on-demand tutoring service, which allows the student to connect to a tutor at a moment’s notice.
    Tutoring that occurs in the home is called private tutoring or personal tutoring. It usually relates to a specific academic subject or test preparation and involves one-on-one attention. Tutoring centers may offer both individual and small group tutoring.
    Some students find it easier to take instruction and correction from someone they do not have emotional ties with. Tutors may readily identify problem areas more quickly than a teacher, who has to assist many students each day.

Choosing a Tutor
    Before you hire a tutor, discuss with the tutor how your student will benefit. Ask for credentials and references. A tutor should help you and your student set realistic goals. Check that the tutor has expertise, education, and experience in the specific subject your student needs. They should coordinate with the classroom teacher and curriculum. The tutor should establish rapport with your student and have a professional and enthusiastic attitude.
    Your student may benefit more from an academic coach than a tutor. What’s the difference?
    Tutors help students learn material in specific courses while academic coaches help students learn how to be generally successful in school. Academic coaching could include understanding how to use a syllabus, effective reading, note-taking, test-taking, study skills, time management, and stress management. Coaches work with all kinds of students, not just those who are struggling academically. A coach can help highly motivated, high-achieving students to improve their learning efficiency. An academic coach can help a student prepare for entrance exams to gain entry to schools or universities.

Organize Your Child for Success
        Prepare your student by explaining the purpose of the tutoring and reminding them that it is similar to school (rules, etc). Be sure you and your student can commit to the time requirements of tutoring and be on time for sessions. Help and encourage your student to participate in the tutoring and put the new skills to good use.
        Show your student that study is important by designating a quiet study area away from TV or other distractions, setting a regular homework time, and making homework and school a priority in your household. Maintain quiet for your student while they are studying. If you demonstrate that you believe homework and school are important, your student is likely to share your belief.
        Help your student establish good study habits. Encourage your student to tackle the most difficult subjects first when they are most rested and not wait until the last minute to complete assignments. Keep all needed materials for homework in one spot. Build in “homework breaks” at regular intervals and offer rewards like TV or games when homework is completed.

Review Progress
        Your student’s and tutor’s efforts should yield measurable change in your student’s performance at school. Tutors should provide an honest report of your student’s progress. Praise and reinforce your student for participating and using what is learned during sessions.
        Whether you need a tutor or academic coach, their purpose is to relieve academic stress. Make sure your student understands there is no stigma to asking for help or getting assistance with school assignments and test preparation. 
        The reward will be when the most common refrain at your house is “I get it!”

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson tutored people in math in high school. Now she is a speaker, recruiter, writer and career coach. You can reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .