Does My Child Need a Tutor?

We are a competitive society. We want the best for our children, and we want our children to be the best.

Against this competitive and comparative backdrop, a tutoring craze has exploded, not just nationally, but internationally. Homework help. Test prep help. Help with individual school subjects. Studies show that children as young as age 3 are being introduced to tutors, fueled by the idea that one can never start learning too early. Tutoring has become a wildly popular franchise, with businesses like Kumon and Club Z dispatching thousands of private tutors to kids of all ages worldwide. A 2012 article in Forbes magazine reported that the international tutoring market is expected to surpass $102 billion by 2018.

What does the tutoring craze mean for today’s kids? Does your child need a tutor?

Daneen Hollern is a special education teacher and tutor at Wolf Creek Elementary School in Spring Hill. She says the sole purpose for tutoring is to provide personalized strategies and TLC for a struggling child, to help that child close the gap between his own academic skills and those of his peers. 

“The sooner you intervene and help build solid academic skills for your child, the quicker success will follow,” Hollern says.

Tami Gast, a licensed ELL instructor who teaches in Olathe and tutors privately, lists four common scenarios in which parents seek tutors for their children: 1) the child’s teacher recommends the child receive additional help in a specific subject; 2) a child’s reading skills fall below her grade level; 3) a child has a learning disability; and 4) English is not the child’s first language.

“Tutoring services are a good investment any time your child's teacher raises concerns about academic progress,” says Hollern.

She once worked with a child who required early speech/language intervention. When the child was dismissed from the publicly funded program at age 4, the parent sought continued support through private tutoring, with an emphasis in early reading skills.

It was a smart move.

But some cases aren’t so cut-and-dry.

In her book, Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs, author Cathy Vatterott writes that, in the face of extreme competition and pressure to excel, some parents are taking a step back, weighing the heavier loads of homework against the value of family time and a carefree childhood.

“… David Elkind wrote about The Hurried Child (1981)—a trend to push children too hard, to over-structure their time and to burden them with too many adult responsibilities,” Vatterott writes. “Today’s balance movement echoes that concern, and it is continuing to gain support among teachers, other professionals and the general public.”

Before hiring a tutor, Hollern recommends that parents seek suggestions from their child’s teacher about how they as parents can best help their children at home.

“If that does not work and you have been consistent with practicing, or you have a hard time working with your child, then tutoring is a next great option,” Hollern says.

“Open conversation is always important,” adds Gast.

Should a tutor be necessary, Hollern recommends finding a one through the child’s school district, rather than performing a broad online search or going through a nationwide franchise. The school’s administrative professional or counselor often can provide terrific resources.

Finding a tutor who exhibits a solid overall character is as important as finding a tutor who knows her skills. “Your child deserves someone who knows how to teach, knows multiple learning strategies, can assess whether progress is being made and who is in the education field,” Hollern says.

“You also need someone who is empathetic toward struggling learners, someone who will build them up,” she adds. “Children need confidence as much as they need strategies. Half the battle to learning is to feel like a learner, to be confident in taking risks and having someone beside you to cheer you on while giving you tools you didn't have before.” 

Learning to assess a child’s particular struggles can be one of the biggest challenges for parents. And don’t forget—sometimes struggle is good. Keep the communication lines open between yourself and your child. Support him as best you can when he needs it. And if all else fails, enlist some outside help and see what comes.

Kate Meadows lives in Louisburg, where she throws her energy into writing, editing and being a mom to two boys. KateMeadows.com