I know how hard it can be for parents whose teens are struggling in school. School does not come easy for many students. And even as a parent, you find it hard to help your child with school.
No matter how hard you try, you still can't seem to help your teen. Even after seeking help from their teachers, your child still seems to struggle.
So what should you do? Should you follow your teachers advice of getting your child a tutor?
And my answer is: NOPE.
"But Rachael, aren't you a tutor?"
Me: YUP
"So are you telling me not to hire you?"
Me: YUP
"Won't you be out of a job?"
Me: Yup
"But why?"
Here are the 3 big reasons why your teen does NOT need a tutor!
1. They need the right skills.
Every student that I have ever tutored has had the problem of learning and using the right skills for school. No matter what subject I am tutoring, the academic problems are the same. For example, one teen may not take good notes, another may not study well, another may have test anxiety, and another may never complete homework.
If your teen struggles with these academic skills, then they first need to work on improving these skills to see better results. Their problem may not necessarily be that they don't understand the subject concepts, but that they lack the skills to learn it themselves.
Action step: Before hiring a tutor, teach your child the basic, but essential skills for academics, such as note taking, studying, test taking, etc.
Related: Setting up an Organization System for your teen
2. Tutors are expensive
That's right! I said it! Tutors are expensive! It is hard to find an affordable tutor that will still do a great job. And if your child has a tutor (or several tutors) for an entire school year, then you could be looking to spend upwards of $10,000 or more.
Not many people can afford a tutor for their child. Which is why I always recommend saving a tutor as a last resort, after no other option works.
But why would I recommend this if I am a tutor? Because I only care about what's best for you and your family.
Seriously! I care whether your teen is struggling in school, or whether they are so frustrated that they no longer want to learn. I care whether you are working your buns off to provide extra help for your teen.
Which is why I am going to tell you that there are other ways to help your teen before hiring a tutor.
3. Seek free help first
There are a few options for you to find some extra help for your teen at no cost.
First and foremost, always ask the teachers for extra after school help. Most teachers have after school hours that students can come in. Always take advantage of these extra hours. Even if your child is just sitting and doing homework. It is worth it! Have your child study with the teacher before a test. Teachers want to see their students succeed, so they will usually help your child in any way they can.
Second, have your child in a study group with the "smart kids" of the class. (meaning the other students that are already doing well, since all students are smart). Study groups can help when doing homework and studying.
Warning: do not let your teen have study groups with friends! Studying with friends never results in actual studying. Even if your teen has every intention of working, it will usually just turn into a hang out session.
Third, use the free resources at this website! I spend a lot of time and love on providing the best tips, resources, and advice through experience here at The Experienced Graduate website. I have specifically made resources available to you to help your child in school. My best resources are now in the Resource Library. You can sign up to get immediate access to all the valuable resources for your teen!
How to know when your child DOES need a tutor?
So there are a few cases when your child will need a tutor.
1. If your teen is generally a pretty good student in other classes, but just seems to be struggling with concepts in this one class. For example, your teen is an A/B student but needs extra help in AP Advanced Calculus. Then it is best to find a tutor that specializes in just that subject.
2. If the other 3 tips listed above do not work, then, as a last resort, you should get a tutor. If your teen is just not getting the academics skills, then a tutor can help show them and teach them how to use these essential skills for academic success. But once your teen or child does learn these important skills, then they will be able to use these skills and thrive in school for many years to come!
Do you already know that your child needs a little extra help? I hope by now you understand that I only have your child's best interests in mind. I only want your child to enjoy learning again! If you are interested in working with me, just click the button to find out more about what I do!
My name is Rachael and I have been a private tutor for over 10 years. I earned my undergraduate degree in 2 and a half years and earned my graduate degree by age 22. I have tutored dozens of high school students, college students, and graduate students. I offer my resources and experience to help parents learn how to best help their teen or child that is struggling in school.
