Getting a tutor – how and why

WHY

Tutoring can help you in many ways. This is usually because unlike in a school classroom, the tutor has more time to focus on you and your specific needs.

A tutor can:

• personalise their teaching style to suit you
• focus on the topics you need to work on (not the ones you don’t)
• help with time-consuming questions and their answers
• help to go in more depth, and to a more advanced level, than is possible in the classroom
• offer a second perspective on your schoolwork

Of course there are some downsides.

• Tutoring costs money.
• The most effective tutoring takes time. Two hours of tutoring before an exam will not be as effective as twenty hours.
• If you get a bad tutor, or simply one that you don’t work well with, it may give you no help. Sometimes it may even cause extra confusion or demotivation, resulting in worse results.

So if you decide to look for a tutor, take the time to find the right one for you.

HOW

To find the right tutor, there are several good ways.

• Recommendations from your fellow students. Ask students who have benefited from their tutoring, and who might be in a similar situation to you.
• Using a tutoring company who guarantee their tutors. These companies usually check their tutor’s references and want to provide only successful experiences to their clients.
• Joining an after-school education service. These may provide group tutoring as well as one-to-one. Like a tutoring company, they offer some guarantee of their tutors’ skills. They are also likely to offer coordination of tutoring for different subjects.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

When choosing a tutor, some concerns are:

• Affordable price. At the time of writing, it is usual to pay between NZD $40 to $60 per hour for an experienced tutor. If a tutor is working for less, they are probably less experienced. They may still be helpful, however. If a tutor charges more, it should be because they have very advanced knowledge of a subject, a lot of experience, and/or specialise in a type of tutoring (such as students with learning difficulties).
• Knowledge of the subject matter. A student who has done well in the subject themselves will have recent knowledge of assessments. A teacher who is also tutoring will have a greater knowledge of what markers look for. A specialist in the subject will have a good grasp of important concepts to an advanced level.

Other important considerations:

• Teaching style. As a student, you probably know what you find helpful in a teacher. Being able to respond to your questions, explain complex ideas simply, and adjust their teaching style to your preferences are usually helpful.
• Personality. A tutor’s personality affects the success of the tutoring. You don’t need to be good friends with your tutor. But being able to talk about your studying struggles and confusions is very helpful. Look for a tutor you feel trust in and who you connect with.
• Listening to your needs. A tutor should want to know what you need to be successful as a student. Whether you need patience and gentleness, or challenges to do your best, a tutor should be able to provide it. If you are working with conditions like dyslexia and ADHD, or other circumstances like trying to study in a second language, look for a tutor who can understand the challenges you face and can work with them.

FIRST CONTACT

Speak to your prospective tutor on the phone before you meet in person. Get a sense of their background and personality. In your first session, your tutor should be asking questions and figuring out how they can help you in your unique situation.

Make sure you establish:

• the rate per hour and any travel costs
• the day, time and how often you will meet
• how best to contact each other
• the goal you are working towards
• what end-date for tutoring there might be

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if you find your tutor helpful. Many students have tutors in particularly important school years, so that they have a good chance of study success. Feel free to try an initial session with a tutor before you decide that you will work with them for longer.

Remember, a tutor’s job is to help you get closer to your study goals. Find a good tutor, and you will find it easier to get there!