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Making the Grade

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    Sophia Hull has struggled with reading since the second grade. Now in fifth grade, her mother, Maria Knowles from Kansas City, worries that Sophia’s difficulty is getting worse. Homework requires a parent by her side, prompting and encouraging her. Math word problems are the worst, as Sophia struggles to understand the words and then has trouble figuring out the answer. 

    The problem? Sophia’s reading skills are not low enough to warrant help from her school, but she is slipping through the cracks. The solution? A private tutor, trained in reading, to keep Sophia from falling behind. 

    While tutoring can hold a negative connotation, it can help a student like Sophia. Stephanie Herthel, special education teacher and provider of private tutoring services, says, “The further a student gets behind, the lower his/her confidence becomes.” 

    But when should parents be concerned that their child needs a tutor? Krista Martine, tutoring director for College Nannies and Tutors of North Kansas City, says it’s time for parents to look into tutoring when they “notice the child is earning average to below average grades with little motivation to improve, or they want to improve but simply can’t grasp the concepts that are being taught in a classroom setting.” Herthel agrees, and adds that the “students’ attitude towards questions regarding the class or topic or subject” is also central to determining whether tutoring services are needed. 

    Pamela Watkins, YMCA STARS program director of operations, suggests some red flags that stand out for a child falling behind. “A child’s grades are all of a sudden slipping, a disinterest in school all together or a change in behavior or temperament, which could indicate frustration of ‘not getting it’,” Watkins said. Regardless of grades earned, a discouraged student can exhibit poor classroom performance. 

    Depending on the services needed, parents have different tutoring options. One option is local high school students, who can provide a positive role model and can reach students easier than an adult. Watkins says that their program “utilizes high school students that excel in school.” 

    Many districts around the Kansas City Metro are A+ designated schools, and in exchange for full tuition to a community college, students provide 50 hours of academic tutoring, along with meeting attendance and citizenship conditions. Eric Greely, A+ coordinator for Liberty High School, says there is a distinct advantage to using a high school tutor over an adult. 

    “Kids can relate better to high school students, and there is an automatic connection. Sometimes students can be intimidated by a teacher and not want to raise their hand. Plus, the high school student gets a wealth of experience at serving,” Greely said. 

    Martine’s program offers a different concept. “College Nannies and Tutors prides themselves on finding a role model match that can provide one-on-one tutoring.” The advantage to their program is “if the student enjoys being around the tutor and is interested in what they have to say and teach, they are much more likely to succeed,” Martine said. 

    Terry Rennack, owner and director of Mathnasium, The Math Learning Center in Liberty, says they offer different 1-month, 6-month and 12-month contracts, as well as individual tutoring sessions. 

    When looking for a tutor, parents shouldn’t be afraid to ask about experience and references. Watkins suggests parents find out the approach and what expectations the tutor has for the student. Martine suggests a meeting beforehand, which “will allow the parent, tutor and student to come to an understanding.” 

    Throughout the tutoring process, “regular communication with the teacher is also important to guarantee that their child is on track with the rest of the students in his/her class,” Martine said. If the main focus of tutoring is to bring a student to the level of his or her classmates, communicating with the teacher is important.

Herthel points out several signs that it might be time to stop tutoring: if the relationship is no longer positive, if the tutor isn’t prepared, if the tutor is providing too much assistance or if the student has gained confidence and is able to keep going on his or her own. 

    While tutoring can be an asset, being an informed parent is vital. Sophia’s mother recognized early that her daughter needed help and took charge of the situation for her daughter’s future.

What to expect from a tutoring program:

Jennifer Higgins is a mom, wife, teacher and freelance writer from Kearney.

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