School Struggles? It May be Time to Hire a Tutor
By Chhavi Dublish
In today’s ramped-up educational environment, tutoring isn’t just for students who consistently get failing grades or need a boost to self-confidence. Now it’s also for kids who want to—and whose parents want them to—perform at an academically higher level.
Sue Milksic, a mom from Edison, got a private tutor for her fourth grade son, Christopher, during summer break. Christopher is a good student and excellent at math, but Milksic felt his reading and writing could be better. “Basically I just wanted to reinforce whatever Christopher had learned during his school term. This way, I felt he was better prepared and confident to enter a new grade,” Milksic said before the start of school in September. And she says Christopher’s reading skills and comprehension did indeed improve once he started being tutored.
A rising trend
Dr. Kenneth Shore, a psychologist in Mercer County who has provided counseling to many schools in New Jersey and has written six books for parents and educators, thinks private tutoring is a rising trend. “What we are seeing nowadays is that parents are using tutoring services as an educational supplement to strengthen their children’s academic skills, and to give their kids an advantage in class,” he says.
Shore identifies three ways tutoring can benefit students: it can remedy their overall academic weakness, strengthen certain academic areas, and provide enrichment for above-average students.
While the right tutor can work wonders with your children, poor tutoring may prove a setback. Finding the right fit for your child is the first thing to consider while looking for a tutor or tutorial service. There are many options available to New Jersey parents, from in-home tutors, to group classes at tutoring centers, to online tutoring.
One-on-one—or more
Individual tutoring is completely customized. It works well for struggling students who will benefit from individual attention, according to Robin R., a private tutor. Sessions can take place at your own home or at a tutoring center, whichever is more comfortable for your child.
Kids who are having problems in a particular subject area or who need enrichment can benefit from group tutoring. This is a slightly less expensive option than individual tutoring. Students work in groups of two to six while strengthening their skills and/or working on advanced material. Many tutoring centers assess a child’s abilities to start, then keep track of progress and ensure that he works according to his skill level.
Computer tutors
Online tutoring is available 24/7. Students can log onto a tutoring website at a time convenient for them, and are helped by a tutor who is proficient in the subject matter in question. The teacher and student keep in contact via instant messaging. Generally, the time a child spends with an online tutor is prepaid.
Online tutoring works well for high school students with busy schedules, says Jennifer Kohn, a representative of an online tutoring company. It’s also good for students who are shy and prefer the fact that there is zero physical contact with the teacher. “It does not put any physical pressure on shy and gawky kids, who feel inhibited and may not respond as well to face-to-face tutoring,” Kohn says.
The meter’s running
Tutoring costs vary. Individual and group sessions can cost anywhere from $25 to $100 each, depending on the child’s grade and a tutor’s experience. Online tutoring is slightly cheaper, and you may pay about $20 for a 50-minute session, or a flat fee for online access for a month.
There are certain low-cost options available, too. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, low-performing New Jersey schools offer free tutoring and remedial programs. A school district is required to tell you promptly if your child’s school is in need of improvement, and to provide you with a list of the state-approved providers offering tutoring in your area, including nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, and even local colleges, churches, synagogues, mosques, and charities.
If your child just needs some extra homework help from time to time and you belong to the public library in certain urban areas in New Jersey (Newark, New Brunswick, Elizabeth, and other cities), another resource is New Jersey Homework Helper, at homeworkhelpnj.org.
Tutoring can be an excellent supplement to your child’s education, and good tutoring can benefit your child. But make sure your child is receptive to the idea. Some children may see it as an extra burden, a punishment, or a stigma. So consult your child and her classroom teacher to make sure she’s ready for the help.
Looking for a private tutor? Teachers and other parents are good referral sources, and your school district may also provide a list of certified teachers interested in tutoring.
When hiring a tutor, go about it in the same way you would hire any employee: interview the tutor and obtain references. Dr. Kenneth Shore suggests you ask these questions as you go through this process:
- Is she a certified teacher? It is, of course, preferable if she is certified in the area in which your child is struggling.
- What is his teaching experience? Has he taught the subject you are requesting help with? For how long? Has he worked with children in your child’s grade?
- Where will the tutoring take place? Will it be at the tutor’s home or at yours?
- What is her approach to tutoring? Does she use a separate curriculum and new materials, or will she work on the same curriculum and with the same materials that your child is using in school? Will she help him with homework? With elementary students, tutoring is often more effective when the tutor works on specific academic deficiencies; with secondary students, it is usually more helpful to focus on the specific assignments your child receives.
- Is your child likely to respond well to the tutor? The better the rapport between the tutor and your child, the more effective the tutoring is likely to be. To assess this, you might have your child meet the tutor during the interview.
- Will the tutor contact your child’s teacher? Ideally, the tutor should be willing to talk periodically with the teacher to ensure they are working in concert.
- What is the cost of the tutoring? Check whether there are any extra charges for testing or materials beyond the per-hour fee. If finances are a concern, ask the tutor if she offers small-group tutoring to lessen the cost. Also research the costs of hiring a capable high school student or using a tutoring center.
Chhavi Dublish is a freelance writer from Edison.
November 2008
Local Resources
Chatham Learning Center 
10 Fairmount Ave.
Chatham, NJ 07928
973-701-0910
website
Club Z In-Home Tutoring
website
Serving Union County
908-239-7982
Serving NW Morris, Sussex & Warren Counties
973-726-6599
Home Educational Services
Serving Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, & Union Counties
888-888-6798
website
L.E.A.R.N. Associates
21 Church St.
Liberty Corner, NJ 07938
908-626-9655
website
Oxford Learning Centers of America
website
97A South Livingston Ave.
Livingston, NJ 07039
973-992-5600
831-19 Route 10 E.
Whippany, NJ 07981
973-781-9000
The Language Institute
175 Fairfield Ave., Suite 2C
Caldwell, NJ 07006
973-228-1843
website