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When to get a Tutor as you Homeschool 

If you’ve studied the history of Education, you’ll recognize that private, individualized tutoring is the favored educational tool of the wealthy. They recognize that tutoring will help their kids develop and understand content, skills, and tools in a way that group or a classroom setting can’t. 

It might seem like Tutoring is redundant to homeschooling, but it’s not. 

As homeschoolers, we don’t have to do it all ourselves! Our big picture job is that of guide and mentor, ensuring that our students have opportunities to learn, grow and develop. It just makes sense that there will come a time- or subject- that is beyond our ability to teach. And while small group or college classes might be an option, they might not be as ideal as a private tutor for several reasons. 

Tutoring

1. Builds Confidence for students as they gain momentum and skill. 
2. Develops an understanding of failure as part of learning. A good tutor will allow students to wrestle with the information, fail forward, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the learning process. 
3. Fills in gaps in learning or skill base under the scrutiny of a subject-specific specialist.
4. It intensifies the learning because it’s highly focused. We’ve all heard of HIgh-Intensity weight training. Think of tutoring as high-intensity learning training. 
5. Tutoring teaches students academic skills that are transferable to all of their learning. 

Of course, we are huge proponents of creating a lifestyle of learning in your home, and we fully embrace the idea the parent is highly qualified to be the lead learner. That being said, we’ve also experienced the all too common homeschooling experience of Moms trying to teach a subject they never enjoyed or learned well while managing a full house and many other demands, including full-time jobs.

We’ve experienced our kids’ frustration in subjects they just don’t get, and we can’t teach well. We’ve also experienced the utter joy of watching our kids work with a tutor and acquire life-changing skills and accomplishments as a result!

When to Look for Tutoring

1. Your kids are not understanding the material you are trying to teach, no matter how many ways/ times you’ve tried to teach them. 
2. Your kids are struggling beyond “normal” with a subject – they are fighting, resisting, or procrastinating, particularly with a specific subject or skill set.. 
3. Your students are falling behind their grade-level peers or failing subjects based on objective assessments. 
4. Your students have specific goals for a skill/ subject that you don’t have the ability or time to teach them. 
5. Your kids have an important test or exam to pass 
6. Your student is determined to acquire specific grades or skills 

While I realize that even mentioning “important” tests or exams in the homeschooling world might set off a fire-storm, the reality is that many professionals do need to pass tests and exams for licensure and to prove their ability. Getting credentialed or licensed is not beyond the ability of many high schoolers, and hiring a tutor might just give them the extra edge they need to pass the first time! 

How to Get the Most from Your Tutor

1. Set up a discovery call to ensure that the Tutor will respect your values and morals and has the ability and skills to ensure tutoring success. Or go through a trusted educational partner, like True North Homeschool Academy, where tutors are vetted. You know for certain that they have the ability to tutor well and will teach from a Judeo-Christian point of view. 
2. Clearly state your goals to your tutor. If you are unsure what the goals are, work with the tutor to set them. 
1. pass a specific class
2. get “caught up”
3. Study for a specific skill-based test
4. Special Needs 
3. Be clear with the tutor about materials- who will determine what materials are used, who is providing them, etc. If you are not sure, work with the tutor on this. If they have experience, they will also know where to find appropriate resources. 
4. Make sure the tutor understands the time limits that the student is working with; is there a test they are taking on a specific date, are they playing a competitive sport while they are tutoring, do they have a Learning Disability or other diagnosis? 
5. Clearly state time and monetary expectations ahead of time. 

I’ve said it before, as homeschooling parents don’t have to do everything themselves. Tutoring can be another valuable tool in your homeschooling toolbox, allowing you and your kids to experience homeschooling- and life – success! 

True North Homeschool Academy provides live online Tutoring for all grades, including core subjects such as English, History, Math and Science, 8 Foreign Languages, Test Prep, College Tutoring, and Special Needs. We provide short and long-term tutoring and can work with students once or multiple times weekly.