When to hire a tutor (high school)
I’ve been a high school math tutor for almost 30 years now, and I’ve seen families choose to hire a tutor for many different reasons and at different points in the school year. What is the ideal time to start with a tutor?
In my opinion, the earlier in the year, the better. Many subjects (like Algebra for example) build content over the whole year, so the longer you wait to get help the more behind your child is. That means that as they sit in class all the new material is going over their head and they won’t understand the homework. Even if they manage to score decently well in the class, if they missed fundamental concepts in the first few weeks, the entire year will be a struggle. That’s a really big problem, because Algebra is used in several more years of math, as well as Chemistry and Physics. If they hate Algebra or feel as though they’ll never understand it, all of these other subjects will be a struggle too. Start as soon as there is any sign of trouble!
Another really big reason to start early is to avoid your child feeling like school is too difficult and they can’t succeed. Most of the common “problem” subjects for high schoolers are actually quite simple and logical, the trouble is usually that in class content is not presented in an ideal way for a particular child’s learning style. A tutor with a solid grasp of the subject matter can have a conversation with the student, answer all questions as they come up, and help them find resources needed to succeed (a formula sheet can work miracles!). This gives the student a confidence that really carries into the classroom and their other classes. If “Chemistry is easy” is the prevailing notion they will attempt homework and assignments fearlessly, and that alone helps with understanding and application.
A final reason to start early? Take it easy on your tutor! If a family calls me with 6 weeks left in the semester, a failing grade, a mad student, and a teacher who is already overworked, my job is that much harder. Add on threats of missing sports, trips, and electronics to up the pressure and it’s hard to get anything learned. To untangle this situation I’ll need to work on figuring out where there is understanding and where there are gaps, find possible places to earn points back (missing work is a good place to start), negotiate with the teacher to make a plan to pass, and meanwhile navigate a lot of negative emotion from all three parties (parents, student, and teacher). I can usually save a grade even in desperate times, but it isn’t always possible. It probably takes more total tutoring hours to save a grade at the end of the semester than a slow and steady approach, and it’s way more painful for all parties.
In my experience, the ideal tutoring plan is to have a weekly appointment set up for about an hour. Look at the rhythm of the class and try to pick a logical night, before assignments are due or quizzes usually happen. I will look over new material and answer questions, complete homework (either in full or just flagged problems) and review for upcoming quizzes. I can also talk through study skills, test taking strategy, and time management for the upcoming week, and then review at the next meeting. I like to schedule high schoolers in complex subjects at the end of my evening so we can run long if needed to complete a tough assignment. If one week there isn’t anything to work on or just a brief check in is needed I’m happy to cancel, reschedule, or switch to a short zoom meeting to cover just a few things. Having a regular appointment is good because once a week the student has the opportunity to think over what is happening in class, what needs to be done, and what they do and don’t understand. This is a lot more often than many of their classmates think over these things!
In summary: start in the first month or so of school and schedule weekly check ins, not just when grades are dropping. This is the best chance for success and the most comfortable for everyone involved!