Before the first meeting:
- Speak to your child about the purpose of the tutoring lessons. There are many reasons for getting a tutor: your child may want help with homework or preparing for a test. Your child may be doing well at school but may want to improve his or her grades.
- Prepare academic documents such as recent report cards, examples of homework, and recent tests. The tutor can use these documents for a better understanding of the type of help your child needs. If possible, set up a meeting between the classroom teacher and your child’s tutor.
- Choose an ideal time and place for the tutoring lessons. Choose a time, whether it is after school or on the weekend, when your child is able to concentrate. The location should be a room at home, or the local library, where your child can focus on the sessions. Make sure your child has supplies ready before the lesson, such as having the necessary textbooks and stationery.
During the meeting
- Get acquainted with the tutor at the start of the first lesson. Discuss your goals with the tutor for the lessons. Find out about the tutor’s approach to teaching. One way is to have your child introduce himself to the tutor and talk about what he has been doing at school. This conversation will help the tutor understand the child’s personality and help the tutor decide on the best way to teach your child. Encourage your child to ask the tutor questions during the lesson.
After the meeting
- Decide on a plan for future sessions. When is the next lesson? How frequent are future lessons? What is the purpose of the next lesson? Ask if you can take a few minutes of the tutor’s time at the end of the lessons to ask about the progress of your child and what you can do to help your child until the next lesson.
- What should you do if your child and the tutor are not a good match?
- Sometimes, after one or more lessons, you may find there are too many scheduling conflicts. Or you may find their personalities are not a good match. Speak with your child about how she is feeling and then decide if changing to a new tutor is the next step.
