Seeking help for any academic problem is never a sign of weakness, contrary to what many students and parents believe. Private tutoring is but one of many options available to students who are looking for help or to get ahead in school. The explosive growth of the industry as of late means that tutors now offer an ever-expansive list of services that cover every academic subject and standardized test that’s out there.
Objectively, that’s a good thing. I believe that students seeking outside help should receive it. Of course, tutoring costs money, and the question that parents and students constantly ask is when they should receive help from a private tutor. I’ve compiled a list of scenarios for when private tutoring services should be sought out.
1. First, exhaust your available (free) resources. Every school—public or private, big or small—has resources available for students seeking extra help. Many teachers offer (limited) time slots for when students can meet with them after class. If you’re a college or graduate student, your TAs can be excellent resources and your university probably has an academic support center. So, before you start Googling for tutors, check your school’s resources first.
2. Your school’s resources are insufficient. After using your school’s resources, you may feel that they are inadequate or insufficient. For example, in-school resources are usually only available for a certain number of hours on certain days. In contrast, many private tutors are flexible with their schedules. You can find private tutors who work late at night and on weekends. Personally, I’ve seen my fair share of students take sessions with me during a school break/holiday and on weekends. Does your school do the same?
3. You are struggling with the content. Obviously, this one is a no-brainer, but it’s worth mentioning.
4. The teacher’s teaching style isn’t working. Sometimes, the way the teacher teaches doesn’t work for everyone. Many teachers teach in a lecture-based format, which doesn’t help visual or kinesthetic learners. In a one-on-one setting, tutors can tailor their teaching style to fit the student’s needs, or the student can seek out a tutor who specializes in particular learning styles.
Additionally, you’re in a class with other people, and the teacher must take that into account. Tutoring can offer the personalized attention you need to succeed in your classes.
5. The teacher isn’t any good. As much as it pains students to hear, this is most likely a much rarer occurrence. When I was in school, I only ever encountered a handful of teachers who clearly didn’t know what they were talking about, let alone what they were doing in the first place. Almost all of my teachers were very good, even the ones I hated. I’m sure this goes for every other student out there.
It’s also worth noting that times have changed. There’s been a chronic teacher shortage for years now. Many school districts have responded to this trend by lowering hiring standards to attract more teachers. What certain school districts do is that they hire someone right out of college or graduate school under the condition that the teacher proves that they are actively working to earn their teaching credentials. In other words, some schools are hiring unqualified teachers to combat staffing issues.
Now, this isn’t to argue that teaching credentials magically transform people into stellar teachers. They do not, but there are particular things that are taught in credentialing programs that are only taught to students who take education courses in college, which many teachers don’t major in. Still, if you’ve determined that a teacher isn’t worth their salt (and other students are saying the same thing), it’s best to seek out a tutor.
6. You suffer from social anxiety. It’s hard for teachers to accommodate students who are anxious because they have to evaluate student progress in a group setting. I’ve worked with many smart students whose grades or scores suffer because the students are afraid to speak up in class. However, after they’ve worked with me in a private setting, their grades or scores go up because they feel more comfortable being in a room with just one other person—the tutor—and not have to worry about looking like a fool or if they’re “holding up the class” because they’re asking too many questions.
7. There are clear issues with executive functioning. In my experience, most of my clients—at Atlas and other companies I’ve worked for—seek help under the pretense of a subject, but actually require help with executive functions, the fancy word that tutors and academic coaches use as a catch-all term to describe students’ organizational, planning, time management, and self-control skills. 9 times out of 10, when a student comes to me, it’s not the material that’s the issue. Usually, they have poor time management skills, lack a key skill required to complete assignments (e.g., how to outline an essay), or poor organizational skills. There are tutors who are dedicated executive functioning coaches, but if you need help with a niche subject, you should probably seek out help from a tutor who specializes in that subject.
8. You have a learning disability. I have to be careful with this one. Not every student with a learning disability needs outside support, especially if the student is very young and has not yet been evaluated for any learning disorders. I have seen parents who panicked and went to the nearest tutoring center after their preschool-aged child failed a couple of assignments. This goes for all students: just because you failed a few homework assignments doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world, nor does it mean that you’re a stupid failure who will flunk out of school.
That also means that a student who has a learning disability, such as autism or dyslexia, doesn’t automatically need tutoring after they’ve been diagnosed. The first thing to do is to seek help from the school’s counselors and special education specialists. Contrary to popular belief, IEPs and 504 plans do NOT hurt your child’s chances of getting into high school and college.
With all that being said, you may still determine that tutoring is required for a child with a learning disability. Depending on the severity of the disability, you may consider looking for a tutor with special education credentials, but more likely than not, a regular tutor will suffice. While I don’t have spec ed credentials myself, I have successfully worked with many students who had a range of disabilities, from ADHD and autism to anxiety and depression (as much as these last two can be considered disabilities). The key is patience and understanding, two things that can’t be obtained with spec ed credentials.
9. You’re preparing for a standardized test. This one is intuitive. When you take a standardized test, especially one that’s subject-specific, you’ll quickly realize that it tests you on skills and content that you probably haven’t spent much time learning in school. For example, the SAT and ACT both test grammar concepts that many high school students haven’t dealt with for years. Additionally, the ACT Math section tests trigonometry, which will be unfamiliar to any student who hasn’t taken Algebra II.
I should also mention that unless you’re consistently hitting 1600s or 36s on your practice SAT and ACT tests, respectively (which is basically nobody), you can always benefit from tutoring. Though it might seem redundant and pointless, I’ve worked with plenty of students who are in the 1500 and high 30s range on the SAT and ACT. Those students (obviously) know the material but may still need help with staying on track, learning test-taking strategies, and completing regular assignments. And, of course, if you’re scoring fairly low, definitely consider getting a tutor to help you get your score up!
10. You want to build a skill or learn something new. School doesn’t have to be the sole impetus for seeking out private tutoring. Tutors also offer services to professional clients wanting to brush up their skillsets and to wannabe hobbyists looking to try something new. Just because you aren’t in school doesn’t mean you can’t hire a private tutor!
