Selecting a math tutor

Does your child need math tutoring?

There are many things in your child's school work and behavior that can point to your child might need the help of a math tutor. These include:

• A poor report card despite your child giving their full effort
• Disruptive behavior in the class
• Constant struggle with math homework
• A negative view of their math skills. e.g. "I suck at math"
• Your child says "I hate algebra" or "Arithmetic is stupid" or something similar.
• An overly common desire to not want to go to school in the morning. e.g. claiming to feel unwell when preparing for school

There is a wide range of options when looking for someone to tutor your child in math: high school students, university graduates, certified teachers, retired teachers, franchised companies (like Kumon and Sylvan). These options include a variety in terms of effectiveness, affordability, and convenience and the term "buyer beware" is very appropriate.

The information below is intended to help you with your choice (or not) of a math tutor for your child.

What to expect from a tutor

The following is based on the National Tutors Association code of ethics and you can expect the tutor you select to:

• Not do your child's work for her or him
• Be honest and not give false hope or praise
• Maintain faith in your child's ability to learn.
• Seek assistance or offer referrals for questions they cannot answer
• Maintain records of all tutoring
• Strive to tutor your child in the most efficient way that best fits his or her learning preferences

Selecting a tutor

While a math tutor that is trained and certified will usually provide the best tutoring, cost may greatly influence your options. Spending thousands of dollars on one-on-one tutoring might not be feasible and the next-door neighbor's ace high school student might be your only choice. Regardless, your tutor should determine your child's strengths and weakness and develop a lesson plans and activities accordingly. The objective of the tutoring you extend beyond just memorizing current school work to enhance true learning and understanding.

After you have determined that your child needs a tutor, it is important to find one that fits her needs and is trained and certified. The tutor should identify your child's specific areas of need and design lesson plans to accommodate your child's strengths and weaknesses. In order to promote true understanding of the material, tutors should go beyond focusing on memorization of current school material. It is also good to look at the teacher/student ratio. If your child is young or has a short attention span, individualized instruction is probably best.

Below are some suggestions for the type of questions to raise when interviewing prospective tutors:

• Tell me about the lesson plans you will be using. Determine how personalized they will be for your child. You should be looking for more that just help with current school homework.
• Ask about cost and any minimum commitment expected of you. Typically costs are hourly although there are monthly plans. Ask if any guarantees are provided by the tutor and what the details of these are.
• Show some examples of the material being used in your child's school and ask to see the tutors corresponding materials.
• Ask how the tutor keeps his or her materials up to date

• Ask what the tutor's thoughts are on "drill and practice" and on memorization as compared to instilling a true understanding of the underlying mathematical concepts. Look for a tutor that enthuses about true understanding but, at the same time does not dismiss the need for memorization of basic arithmetical operations.
• Ask how many students are being tutored with your child. More than 3 or 4 may not allow for the amount of personalized attention your child needs.Ask how your tutor will monitor and report progress. Expect regular reports from your tutor and be sure to check with your child's teachers to determine what progress is being observed in school