Five Signs Your Child Needs A Tutor

Your child doesn’t want to talk to you about school. He is either spending hours and hours on homework, or he’s spending no time at all. When you try to ask questions about his classes, he
shuts you down or changes the subject, or maybe he completely ignores you. When you do get a glimpse at his grades, you see that he’s not performing well. It’s rare for any child to get through 12 years of school without struggling at some point with a subject or a class. At what point is that struggle a sign that she or he needs more intensive intervention? When should you
pull the trigger and find a private professional tutor to help your student? Here are five signs to watch for that might indicate it’s time to bring in a tutor:

1. Homework Behavior: This sign can go one of two ways. On one hand, your student is spending hours and hours on homework that he should be able to complete in a reasonable amount of time. On the other hand, perhaps you notice that your student is avoiding homework altogether. Maybe she’s passing time on social media, watching TV or busying herself with things other than schoolwork. Either of these behaviors can indicate that the student is struggling. If he’s spending hours on homework for one class, perhaps he’s having a hard time because he is not comprehending the material. She may be avoiding homework because she is confused and doesn’t feel like she can do it. Either way, the guidance of a private tutor can help students not only understand the material but balance the allotted time so that homework time is productive and helpful.
2. Hard Work With No Reward: Your student is putting in the time, doing his homework diligently and spending ample time reviewing for tests and quizzes. But despite all of this work, his grades are disappointing. While challenging classes will require that students put in enough time to be successful, there should be some reward in the form of good grades when the student is spending enough time and effort in keeping up with the class. If the hard work isn’t paying off, it might be a sign that she needs more intensive one-on-one assistance in order to pinpoint the problem and get back on track.
3. “I Hate Everything!”: Your student is incredibly frustrated with school and this frustration is spilling over to her life in general. Her irritation is not only directed at school, but at you, her siblings, her friends, and pretty much everything. Although it may be tempting to let her know her behavior is unacceptable, it’s a good idea to dig a little deeper and see if there’s something more going on than a lousy attitude. Find out how school is going, ask her about the grades she getting, check if she’s keeping up with reading and homework, and so on. It could well be that the anger has much more to do with school than anything else in her life. Hiring a private tutor to work with her is a great solution to get her back on track, and once that happens, don’t be surprised if the frustration and anger disappear.
4. Steadily Slipping Grades: If your student begins the term or school year strongly, you probably feel reassured that all is well. But sometimes, students will see their grades slip as they get further into the class and the material gets more difficult. If your student starts out the year getting As and Bs on tests but those grades slip to steady Cs or below, it may be time to bring in a professional tutor to identify the problem and help get your student back on the right track again before sinking further. It’s important to keep an eye on your student’s academic performance so that you can intervene if you see a sudden and steady drop in grades
5. Lack of Self Confidence: Perhaps you notice that your student is displaying a lack of self confidence in a particular academic subject or in school overall. He is convinced that he just can’t do it and stops putting in the effort. This lack of confidence can lead to anxiety about going to school, procrastination, and a poor attitude about school and life in general. It can bring on a sense of defeat. Hiring a professional tutor is a great way to get your student back on track academically, but there are other benefits as well. Studies have shown that students respond very well to the positive feedback and attention they receive from one-on-one tutoring. The tutor will boost your child’s confidence and ultimately give them both the academic tools as well as the self assurance that enables them to be an active participant and successful in class.

Kids are busier than ever these days with not only school but extracurricular activities, sports and volunteer work. It is more important than ever to ensure that they are keeping up with their academics and allocating enough time to study, complete homework and prepare for tests. If they are struggling in one or more subjects, hiring a private tutor is a great way to give your
students one-on-one attention to help them understand the material, boost their self confidence and ultimately excel in their classes!