How a tutor can help your child this school year

Tutors have become an important part of a child's education, helping them to achieve their target grades and preparing them for dreaded exams. A tutor is a teacher or professional that is paid to work privately with a child and to help them with their specific needs.

The great thing about a tutor is that they can work with your child in a more focused way, ensuring they concentrate on the areas your child is struggling with the most. As parents we know our children and fully comprehend their strengths and weaknesses. So it is up to us to know when we think a little outside help might be needed. There are also some tell-tale signs that your child could really benefit from a private tutor. Here are a few of them:

• Your child may feel frustrated when they need to do their homework and avoid it where possible.

• They may be spending more time than normal trying to complete their homework.

• Your child may complain regularly that they don't want to go to school, they 'hate' a specific lesson or they dislike a teacher.

• Your child's report may have seen a drop in grades.

• Your child may seem more withdrawn that normal or less confident than before.

Of course the first thing to do if you notice 'something different' about your child or their attitude, is to talk to them and find out what is bothering them. If it is an issue with school work or they are struggling to understand certain topics they may have covered then a tutor is a good way to go.

A tutor can help with:

• Helping your child with a specific subject they may be struggling with.

• Preparing your child for exams whether they be entrance exams, GCSE's or A-levels.

• Building their confidence.

• Providing invaluable exam tips.

• Challenging them to strive to be the best they can.

And another great thing about a private tutor is that they build a rapport with your child and adapt their teaching styles to suit your child's individual needs. Of course tutors cannot work miracles and where some parents think that as soon as their child begins working with a tutor their grades will automatically go up, this is not the case. Both a tutor and a child need time to form a working relationship; but normally after the first few lessons your child should be on course to reaping the benefits of having a teacher all to themselves. A tutor is hired to supplement classroom teaching and because they have the chance to work on a one-to-one basis with your child they are able to quickly see where your child needs the most help.

So if you think your child could do with some confidence building, extra work on their Maths skills, help with preparing for their science GCSE's or just needs some extra academic attention to challenge them and see them achieve their maximum potential then a private tutor will almost certainly help with this.

For more information about how to find a tutor visit First Tutors.