When the report cards come in the mail, you may be surprised to see that your child is not thriving in a certain subject. Often, Language Arts and math are the two subjects that cause a school aged child the most frustration. Perhaps your child hasn’t shared with you the difficulties she was having. Perhaps, out of embarrassment, she’s hidden quiz scores from you, and now her report card is revealing her true challenges. This can be a very difficult time for a child and a frustrating time for a parent. You may consider hiring a private tutor to help your child in her challenged subject area. Before doing so, think about the following questions:
1. Has my child had consistent trouble in this subject area? Sometimes kids struggle with one or two difficult concepts, and may have failed one or two assessments which contributed strongly to her grade. She probably won’t need a tutor in this case, but may just need a few extra help sessions from her teacher to help her understand these concepts.
2. Does my child hate math/Language Arts/science? Sometimes, if your child really dislikes a subject, a tutor can benefit her greatly. A strong tutor can help her change her attitude about the subject. Perhaps she always thought math was boring, but that was only because she didn’t understand it. Once she works with a tutor who brings excitement to the subject, she may change her mind.
3. Does it look like my child is giving up? This is a key cry for help. Sometimes, kids will verbalize their frustrations to their parents, but most often, they may give up completely, not even doing their homework. They may feel that it isn’t worth it, because they’ll “just fail anyway.” It may seem like your child is depressed, angry, or constantly frustrated with school, specifically one subject. She may even say things like, “my teacher hates me,” or “I’m stupid.” Instead of saying she doesn’t understand, she may just give up completely. If your child is saying or doing any of these things, a tutor can be a wonderful help.
4. Can I find a tutor who can teach my child in a whole new way? All kids learn differently, and your child’s teacher may not respond to certain learning styles. If you can find a tutor who understands this paradigm and is enthusiastic about finding a way for your child to understand difficult concepts, go for it! This could be the key in changing your child’s mind about a certain subject!
