By Sarah Lyons

Parents seek the help of a tutor for many reasons. Some may choose to have their kids work with a tutor if they are struggling with a subject or particular concept but tutoring isn’t just for kids with educational challenges. Some parents may hire a tutor because they do not have time to work on schoolwork in the evenings but feel their child needs one-on-one assistance during homework. Working with a tutor can be beneficial for kids to learn good study habits, identify their strengths, and work through their weaknesses all while getting individual attention. So, what are the benefits of tutoring?

Individualized Learning Tutoring can be adapted to fit the child’s needs. Kara Thomas, a teacher who has offered tutoring said, “Tutors can provide different tools and techniques because they are working one-on-one with each child. They can also adjust material quickly to be able to meet the child where they are and give them challenges targeted at their skill set.”

The benefit of having a tutor is the individual attention that even the best teacher cannot offer in a larger classroom setting. 

Builds Confidence Tutoring can build confidence that helps students be successful in the classroom. Some kids lack the confidence they need to speak up and ask questions. Others may have anxiety about test taking. “I have worked with kids who simply lack confidence and need to talk things out,” said Meg Thompson, math teacher and tutor.  

A tutor can work through these obstacles to help build a child’s confidence and give them tools that can help them manage these insecurities in class.

Academic Improvement The most common reason parents seek tutors is for academic improvement. Tutors can give students tools to improve their grades and their understanding of the material. This will build confidence in test taking and strengthen understanding so that daily homework isn’t such a chore. 

Improved Study Skills When children develop good study habits early on, they are able to use these skills throughout their school career, in college, and even in the workforce. Tutors can help develop skills to tackle more challenging work on their own. “I tutored a child that I had in my class as a 7th grader. We worked together until he graduated,” said Thompson. “He has autism and for some reason we completely hit it off and he moved from grunting in class to being able to do everything asked of him in higher level math classes.” 

Everyone learns and develops at a different pace and a tutor can not only work on a specialized skill set, but also help kids gain study habits that fit their learning style and personality. 

Builds Character Working with a tutor can have a big payoff when kids grasp concepts and see their grades improve. Tutoring can be a way to highlight the value of hard work and build character and work ethic. It can also stretch them out of their comfort zone, help them understand it’s OK to ask for help, and normal to not understand concepts at first. These lessons will serve them well in life.

“It’s a different relationship with the student,” said Thompson. “It’s one where they know you are completely on their side. Sometimes this gets lost in the classroom. I am always on everyone’s side in the classroom, but there is more competition for my time and limited time for questions.”

Tutoring can be beneficial for nearly every student and does not have to be utilized because your child is struggling. Working with a tutor who is there to listen to concerns, answer questions, and review concepts at a pace the child is comfortable with can have lasting benefits. 

Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer and mom of six kids including triplets. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time outdoors with her family.