Tutoring Success: Does Environment Matter?

Zach has always been a good student, managing to keep up with his school work and do well in all of his classes. Until one year it changes. He’s struggling in Chemistry. He comes home angry and stressed, complains that the teacher isn’t fair, and whines that there’s too much homework. He is despondent about the C- he got on the first test and fears that he won’t be able to get a good grade in the class. He’s spending so much time trying to learn the material that he’s falling behind in his other courses and consequently all of his grades are suffering.

Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there. We’re trying to juggle our kids’ busy schedules and support them so that they can be successful in and out of the classroom. We send them to good schools and count on teachers to present the material in a way that allows our kids to do well. But that isn’t always possible. Some students struggle in a certain subject area like math, writing or science. Others have a difficult time learning in a traditional setting with anywhere from 20 to 30 or more students in a classroom with one teacher. Some are overwhelmed trying to juggle school and their extracurricular activities. Whatever the situation, one of the best things you can do for your child is to hire a private tutor.

Studies have shown that there is an undeniable benefit in hiring a tutor to give students one-on-one assistance and support. Being able to individualize the lessons to focus on each student’s needs is only one factor in why tutoring is so effective. Nurturing and attention are equally important according to Robert Slavin of John Hopkins University. “Students are eager to please adults who relate to them personally.” In other words, children, particularly those whose self-esteem might be lower due to academic struggles, are highly motivated by positive attention and feedback from a trusted adult.

Once you’ve decided to hire a professional tutor, the question becomes where should your child and the tutor meet. The distractions at home can be overwhelming. Whether it’s the television, video games, the basketball hoop in the driveway, a cell phone with incoming texts, a refrigerator full of snacks or other people around to talk to, it can be hard to get your kids to focus on academics even if there is a tutor there to work with them. Meeting with a tutor at an academic tutoring center allows the student to both receive highly effective individualized tutoring and have a quiet space conducive to focused learning. In addition to eliminating the many distractions students face at home, there is generally a camaraderie among the students studying and being tutored at a tutoring facility. Everyone is there to be productive and to work toward ensuring that their academic performance is the best that it can be. A place of academic studying will be quiet and yet buzz with a positive and productive energy for both the students and their tutors.

If you are considering taking your student to an academic tutoring center to either work with a tutor or to have quiet study time, there are a few things to look for:

• The center should have private desks, cubicles and/or rooms where students can work quietly with their tutors.
• Make sure there are ample technological features including Wifi, electrical outlets at each desk, computers for use if necessary, sufficient lighting, etc.
• Since students may spend a few hours there at a time after school, ideally, the center will have some of the comforts of home, such as a kitchen with beverages and snacks available, a warm friendly staff available at all times to assist students or parents with questions.
• Look for a tutoring center that offers a quiet study center for students’ use. It can be very convenient for your child to spend time studying or completing homework either before or after his/her tutoring session. Make sure there is a proctor available to help students with questions and to keep them on task.

Whether your child is struggling in a class, needs support in completing school work, or is preparing for a standardized test, hiring a tutor is one of the best things you can do to ensure academic success. You can maximize the benefit of a professional tutor by hiring one who is affiliated with an academic tutoring center so that your student can meet with the tutor in a
dynamic instructional environment that has all the benefits of home without the noise or distraction.