By Elizabeth Hamilton, M.Ed
For Variety

WHEN a child falls behind in school, many parents turn to tutors for help. Since individuals working as tutors have different levels of education, skills, and experience, parents should first determine what type of assistance their child requires prior to hiring one. Knowing this information will help guide parents towards a tutor with the appropriate skills and qualifications to match their child’s needs.
The first step in determining what kind of assistance your child needs is to talk with his/her teacher(s). The following are some questions you can ask:
• What type of help does my child need?
• Does my child need to learn some specific skills s/he didn’t master in previous years or does s/he need extra instruction to master a large group of skills s/he is missing? If so, what skills? What subject areas?
• Is s/he missing so many skills that intensive instruction is required to build an educational foundation? If so, what subject areas?
• What are my child’s academic strengths and weaknesses?
• Would you be willing to communicate with a tutor about my child’s needs/instruction?
After determining your child’s needs, it’s time to research your options. Below you will find a brief description of the two of the most popular choices for tutoring—private tutors and learning centers—and a description of tutors’ credentials.
Private tutor
A private tutor works one-on-one with your child. The biggest benefit of hiring a private tutor is the individualized attention your child will receive. The rates for private tutors range from $20 per hour for a college student to $60 per hour or more for a credentialed teacher.
Learning centers
In center-based tutoring, students usually work with an assigned tutor in small groups. The biggest drawback of learning centers is that tutors frequently work with three to five students at the same time, so their attention is divided. The benefit is that students have peer support. They see that they are not alone in facing academic difficulties. The rates for learning centers range from $200 to $500 per month.
Types of tutors
I. Non-teachers—interested in helping children succeed academically, have an expertise in a specific subject area or general subject knowledge, and patience. They can help your child with homework, projects or research.
II. Credentialed teachers—trained in the general education curriculum at the elementary school level or in specific content areas at the middle and high school levels. They can help your child improve his/her knowledge and skills in general subject areas such as math, reading, or writing, as well as in specific subject areas such as French or trigonometry.
III. Credentialed special education teachers— very knowledgeable about various disabilities, specifically trained to work with children with disabilities, and use instructional strategies specifically geared toward children with disabilities. They can assess learning strengths and weaknesses, teach academic skills and learning strategies, help identify classroom accommodations to support your child’s learning, and can follow the goals and objectives of an IEP (Individualized Education Program).
As soon as you’ve decided what type of tutor your child needs, as well as the setting in which the tutoring will be delivered, ask your child’s teacher(s), other parents, friends or coworkers if they can recommend a tutor or a learning center.