There are tons of helpful articles out there such as but before you get into that, there 3 absolutely essential and practical questions you need to honestly ask yourself before engaging a home tutor.
1. Does my child really need tuition in this subject?
This may be the most obvious question, and chances are if you’re reading this article or considering hiring a home tutor for your child you probably do really need a home tutor.
However, taking a moment to ask yourself this simple question will help draw your attention to what really matters: Why your child actually needs the home tutor.
Typical answers would be “My boy really needs tuition in this subject because he is really bad at it / cannot understand the teacher / hates the subject”
By asking and answering this simple obvious question, you’ve unlocked the answer to the objective and reason behind finding a home tutor.
2. What is my desired outcome and expectation for the tuition?
Once you’ve identified your why, it’s time to set your expectations clear. There can be so many variables as to what your desired outcome and expectation is, but it’s important to think through in your mind and decide what you would consider a successful tuition arrangement and what you consider a failure.
For instance, you may wish that your 6yo girl would enjoy Chinese more, after taking private Chinese lessons. Or, you may expect that your sec 4 boy to improve from B3 to A2 within 3 months.
Once you have decided in your mind on your desired outcome, consider communicating this with your child and your prospective tutor or tuition coordinator so that everyone is on the same page.
Consider also setting benchmarks and milestones, and setting timeframes where you can review the process of the tuition to see if you are getting closer to achieving your desired objectives.
Trust us. Taking the time to honestly ask yourself this one simple question can save you from so much disappointment in the future.
3. What can I do to facilitate this outcome?
Now that you’ve set your objectives clear, ask yourself how you can be a part of this process. Yes, the home tutor is being paid to teach. But realistically, there’s a limit of what the tutor can do within the 90 minutes or 2 hours, once a week tuition session.
Ultimately, it is your child and not the tutor’s child. Be honest with yourself and ask yourself: “What can I do to help my child succeed?”
The answer really depends on the individual. For example, if your child is below 10 years old, perhaps you need to monitor your child to make sure they at least finish the tuition homework and the necessary preparation in order to reap the full benefits of the tutor’s time. If you have a 13-15 year old child, perhaps you can encourage and reward them for working hard and scoring well in class tests, to help them stay focused.
Ready to hire a tutor?
Check out our other helpful home tuition related articles.
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