9 Steps to Finding the Right Tutor

1. Determine how much time and money you can devote to a tutor.

2. Talk to your child's teacher about what kind of help your child needs and what kind of arrangement would be the best for him: an individual tutor, a learning center or an online tutor.

3. Ask the teacher or school counselor to recommend a tutor or tutoring service.

4. Check trusted local resources - parenting magazines and websites -  for tutors advertising their services, and ask around for word-of-mouth suggestions from other parents. Also look for tutoring services or referrals through your local public library and community volunteer organizations.

5. Once you've lined up some possible tutors, ask for references.

6. Interview more than one tutor, and have your child accompany you. It's important to find a tutor that she is comfortable with.

7. Ask the tutor if you can sit in on a session, to see how the tutor works with your child.

8. Request that the tutor contact your child's teacher to coordinate studies and efforts.

9. Keep track of your child's progress. If there's no improvement after several sessions, or if your child seems negative about his tutor, you may want to find a different tutor or service.

Return to main article: Why So Many Parents Are Seeking Extra Academic Help for Their Kids

Resources

• Readingrockets.org - Offers several guides for parents on how to find the right help for their children, including tutoring.
• Tutor Quest, by Edward Gordon, Phi Delta Kappa Intl. Inc., 2002. Provides background information on tutoring and a handy checklist for parents to evaluate the tutoring market.
• Tutorsforkids.org - Provides a basic overview of the tutoring provision (supplemental educational services) of the federal No Child Left Behind education reform law.