When searching for an academic tutor that will be the best fit for you and your needs, it is important to seek out tutors that have great qualities. In order to make the plunge and hire a tutor, it is important to be mindful about what traits make a good tutor, and which qualities make a poor tutor.
Knowing the traits of a good tutor
Firstly, what are some traits of a good tutor? For many students, regardless of age and academic level, want a tutor to be insightful, approachable, and validating. As students, when we are seeking out help, we don’t want to feel as though we are a burden on someone else, or that we are stupid for not understanding a particular part of the curriculum. Tutors should be very understanding, accommodating, and patient with you, as learning can be difficult and provide various unforeseen challenges. A good tutor will validate your feelings of frustration, but not fester in the challenge. They will take the time to break the curriculum down for you to a point of understanding, and allow for you to think critically about problems. They will allow you to complete the problem, then take you through each step and correct you if you are wrong. A good tutor will also praise you for getting the right answer and completing the task at hand, in order to motivate you further to be confident in your skills. A poor tutor will make you feel dumb for not understanding, or ridicule you for not catching on quickly. A poor tutor will dismiss your questions or fault you for asking too many questions. They will also not take the time to tell you the correct way to complete the task, and leave you in the dark about where you have gone wrong. A good rule of thumb is to trust your instincts. If you come in contact with a bad tutor who only invalidates your frustrations and makes you feel wrong, you will likely feel that and know immediately. In those circumstances, discontinue tutoring lessons from that tutor and continue seeking out one that possesses positive attributes.
Requirements in choosing the right tutor in Accokeek, MD
Another good rule of thumb when navigating the tutor seeking process, is to understand the requirements you need in order to choose the right tutor. The requirements will vary depending on your desired results, but it is important to be realistic about what requirements you may have. Of course, you want a tutor who is educated in academics, especially the field that you need help in. It is vital to seek out someone who is knowledgeable of that respective field, and who has some experience teaching that curriculum to other people. However, if you find a tutor who doesn’t have much experience, but seems to have the knowledge, understanding, and bandwidth to teach about that curriculum, it is at your discretion to make that decision. Depending on you and your needs, you may also have your own requirements that are important for a tutor to have. For instance, if you need a tutor for a child with special needs, it may be a requirement for you that a tutor has some experience working with a special needs child. Perhaps your child is a slow learner and it is required that a tutor be very patient and accommodating. The specific requirements that you need from your tutor will vary and it is important to have an idea of what you need in order to be successful.
Good communication in a tutor is the key
When finding the right tutor, it can’t be stressed enough how important communication is. No one is a mindreader so it is imperative to be upfront about your requirements, needs, and expectations. If there is something important for a tutor to know before teaching you, your child, your family member, etc., you should make that apparent before teaching takes place. A tutor only wants to improve your learning capabilities and allow you to be successful academically, and you probably want the same thing. With that being said, having an open line of communication can only enhance your learning capabilities and help to create a great relationship with your tutor. Tutoring is a two-way street so it is crucial to communicate effectively with your tutor so that everyone is on the same page about results and productivity.
Like I mentioned before, when you are analyzing the requirements that you need before hiring a tutor, one of the more obvious ones is educational experience. You want to be confident that your tutor knows the information that they’re teaching about, in order to manage your success expectations. Do look into a tutor’s educational background, what they’ve studied, what subjects they have previously tutored, and what other academic achievements they may have accumulated. You are entrusting your tutor with the task of teaching you or your loved one about a particular field of curriculum, so it is important to have an understanding of what they can bring to the table. It is also important for your tutor to have quality communication skills and know how to create a good rapport with their student and potentially, the family. It is also important for a tutor to have quality communication skills because families usually want to be updated about their child’s progress, so it is important to hire someone who can relay that information with ease.
Affordable Tutoring Services in Accokeek, MD
If you are seeking affordable tutoring services in the Accokeek, MD area, Good Hope Tutoring offers an array of tutoring services that will benefit you or your loved one’s academic needs. Good Hope Tutoring Services offers classes, math bootcamps, high school placement prep, on demand assistance, one-to-one tutoring, adult tutoring, homeschooling, and more in the Accokeek area. For more information, give them a call at (301)717-8046, or schedule a consult on their website GoodHopeTutoring.com.