How to Choose the Best Private Tutor

Do you spend several hours a day helping your child with their homework?  Does your child lack confidence in their understanding of a subject?  These are signs that you need to hire a private tutor for your child.

Don’t despair; your child is not the only one who needs that extra help. It is estimated that 50 percent of all students in the UAE, take some form of tutoring help.

The rising demand for education services in the UAE is explained by the following –

(a) UAE has a huge expat population, which means that the children of these families need help adjusting to the UAE education curriculum.

(b) More women in the UAE are joining the workforce. Mothers who were traditionally at home to oversee their children’s studies, no longer have the time to do so.

(c) The competition for young people at every level is fierce – be it school, college admissions, or job openings. Parents want to hire private tutors to give their children the best chances of academic and professional success.

Hiring a private tutor can be expensive. Some parents pay more money as tutoring charges than they do as the school fees.  Given the additional expense of hiring a private tutor and the importance of getting the right tutoring help, it is crucial that you hire the right person for the job.

Determine Your Child’s Learning Needs

You can hire a private tutor for in-person tuition, recruit an online tutor, or enrol your child for coaching classes. Each of these tuition methods has their pros and cons. The first step to hiring the right tutor for your child is determining the learning needs of your child.

Think through the answers to these questions before your approach a tutor:

Evaluate what is your aim of hiring a tutor. Does your child need help with a single subject or multiple subjects? Do you need a tutor who can help your child do well in school, but also help him/her prepare for competitive exams?  If you need help with multiple subjects, then you need a generalist private tutor who can give one-on-one attention to your son/daughter. A coaching centre is a better choice to prepare your child for competitive exams because the presence of other children will foster a healthy peer competition.

How quick is your child at grasping new concepts? Children differ in their ability to learn. Some children more repetition than others, and some children respond better to a teaching approach which includes visual aids such as videos and diagrams. A private tutor who teaches not more than two to three students per class will serve your purpose better if your child needs greater teaching focus.

On the other hand, an experienced online tutor who offers one-on-one teaching and uses teaching aids such as YouTube Videos and online whiteboards, may be a better choice for an older child who is tech-savvy. Some children thrive in a group learning environment, which makes a coaching centre the better choice.

7 Things to Ask a Potential Tutor

Having decided which tuition model will work best for your child, it’s time to search and compare the tutors available. You must ask the following questions before hiring a prospective tutor-

1. Are they full-time tutors?

A full-time tutor tends to be more professional than a student or a stay at home wife who is working as a part-time tutor. A professional tutor will also have more experience teaching children of all age groups and classes.

1. What are their professional qualifications?

Don’t be shy about asking for academic qualifications of the tutor. This includes the tutor’s graduate and post graduate qualifications, the institution of study, and professional experience other than tutoring (if any).

1. Tutoring experience

For how long have they been tutoring? Which subjects and grades have they taught in the past? What is their track record in preparing children for academic entrance exams?

1. What references can they provide?

Don’t just take their word for it, ask the tutor to give you references. Take the time to speak to parents whose children the prospective tutor has worked with. Ask for honest feedback on improvement in grades, the responsiveness of the tutor towards the child, as well as the professionalism displayed.

1. Tools they use to aid the learning process

Ask the tutor about his/her teaching method, including what tools they use to aid in the learning process.

1. Do they offer a trial class?

If you are unsure if the tutor is the right choice, ask if they offer a free trial lesson. In fact, one session may not be sufficient for you to assess how well your child responds to the tutor. Check if the tutor agrees to one week’s paid trial (two to three classes) to get a better idea.

1. What are the payment T&C’s?

It’s always advisable to pay the tutor via electronic transfer or cheque.  Check with the tutor on what are their payment terms and conditions (T&C’s), including refunding money for session cancelled by you well in advance. You may be able to reduce the tuition fee by negotiating with the tutor. Some tutors are willing to discount the fee for an upfront payment of two to three months tuition fee.

Hiring a tutor is often seen as a mundane transaction. But to get the maximum benefit for your family, you must make the effort to assess your child’s tutoring requirements as well as whether the private tutor you are hiring is the best person for the job.