Questions 1 - 10

• Who will do the tutoring? Depending on the organization, tutors may follow a certain approach or philosophy.  Make sure you are comfortable with the way the tutors work with students. Talk with the director about what choice you have in selecting a tutor or how the organization will determine the right tutor for your child. Find out whether your child will have a substitute if the assigned tutor gets sick.
  
  If you’ve chosen online tutoring, find out whether the company uses tutors in other countries. If you’re comfortable with a tutor your child won’t see face to face, you’ll still need to monitor whether she and the tutor can communicate. Be sure to ask how the tutor plans to make your child feel comfortable in the online format.  Ask how he will become familiar with your child’s textbooks and classroom assignments.
• What are the tutor’s qualifications? Find out what kind of experience the tutor has teaching the subjects your child needs help with. It’s not necessary that a tutor have a teaching credential for your child’s grade level. For example, a good chemistry tutor for your high school junior might have experience teaching college-level chemistry, but not be certified to teach high school.  At the very least, the tutor should have a college minor in the subject area.
  
  Also ask if the tutor have experience teaching children of similar ages and learning styles to your child. If your child has special needs, make sure that the tutor has training and experience in working with children like yours.
• What is the tutor’s track record with helping students learn? Ask for references from teachers or other parents who have used this tutor. You will also want to know how much this tutor has helped other students.  So ask if he has:
  •    Raised test scores
  •    Improved classroom grades
  •    Increased homework completion
  •    Received positive reviews on surveys of students or parents
• Where will tutoring be offered? Children are tutored at schools, public libraries, tutoring company offices, private homes, community centers, places of worship or via the Internet. While any of these options can work, you need to be comfortable with your choice. If transportation to the tutor is required, make sure it’s regularly available. A number of studies have shown that the most effective tutoring happens regularly and often. The more sessions per week result in greater improvement.
  If you’ve chosen online tutoring for your child, make sure you have access to a computer, Internet connection, headsets or other necessary equipment.
• How many students will be tutored at a time? Some students benefit most from instruction in small groups, others one-on-one. Be sure to choose a provider that offers instruction in a setting that works for your child. If you’ve chosen group tutoring, find out the maximum number of students who would be in your child’s group.