The past two years we have really had to take a hard look at our kids education. I have a 16,13,10 and 8 year old. With your first child, you are so worried that they are not up to speed and you’re watching them like a hawk. By the time you have your second and beyond things start to get a little gray. I have been guilty of relying on the teachers and school to keep me updated on my child’s progress but unfortunately this has not worked out in the past two years. My 3rd and 5th grader have really declined and now we need to take some action.
With common core math and some of the work they are bringing home I was getting frustrated helping them and felt like they really needed help from a professional. The only two options were a tutoring center or hiring a tutor, both have their pros and cons that we quickly learned.
Tutoring Centers
At a tutoring center your child is assessed which gives you a clear understanding of where they stand in their grade level. There is a program put in place and your child will go through that program until they reach their goals. This takes away any guessing of what the child needs to work on or how to go about reaching their goals. Once they reach their goals you can choose to continue so they stay on top of things. The prizes and incentives help too!
You have a choice of one on one or a small groups setting. Also, the center will communicate with your child’s teacher to make sure they are all on the same page. The center will provide periodic updates with you to discuss your child’s progress.
The cons of a learning center would be the time commitment to take your student. When first starting out they may have to go several times a week. The price may be higher than a tutor as well. We have used Huntington Learning Center with great success!
Hiring A Tutor
Hiring a tutor can bring one on one attention to your child and possibly able to pick up topics quicker. There may be more flexibility in the schedule with the option of tutoring in your home. Having a tutor at your home could bring some challenges with finding a quiet spot in your home.
But a tutor may not have a plan after the child’s initial goal is met. What happens if the tutor decides to not work with you anymore? Having to go out and find another is no fun! Some tutors I have talked to have said they don’t have the resources to look up certain methods they are learning in school. If they have the resources it comes a little easier to teach.
You should be able to find a tutor through the Community College or by word of mouth.
My 3rd grader and I butt heads during homework time and we don’t get very far on the task, let alone helping her catch up on all the items she doesn’t understand. Both tutoring and the learning center would bring me comfort because it’ s someone else doing the guessing game of what level she is and she will have a better attitude towards someone else.
Elk Grove Families 