You’ve made the decision to find a tutor for your child. Great! Now what? How do you know what to look for in a tutor? Beyond the obvious criteria like being qualified and good with kids, it’s daunting to wade through all of the options. We get it! That’s why we put together this comprehensive guide to finding your child’s perfect match. Below are some of the most common questions we get from parents who are new to the tutoring search.
Where do I start?
First things first: make sure you know what you’re looking for. This is a crucial step in narrowing your search down to those with the exact expertise your child needs. If you’re looking for phonics support for your Kindergartener, you’re going to be looking at a completely different pool of tutors than you will for your child who needs help with high school physics. Plus, the more specific your child’s support needs are, the more narrow your search will become. Make a list of exactly what it is you want a tutor to be able to help your child with. This will help guide your search. And if you aren’t sure what type of support you need, you can always book a complimentary consultation with one of our learning experts!
How do I find tutors with experience in my child’s specific needs?
This issue is exactly why we made our search process so simple and efficient! Our website’s filters helps you narrow down your choices so that you can find all of our tutors who meet your child’s requirements, and we will always provide a list of our top three recommended matches. Tutor profiles specify their experience, certifications, rate, and bio. All of our tutors have been thoroughly background-checked and vetted! We only take on tutors who are either certified teachers or who have classroom teaching experience.
How much does it cost?
It all depends on your budget. Our search feature also allows you to set the price range you are comfortable with. Our tutors’ rates run the gamut and are based on experience, demand, geographic location, and area of expertise.
What kinds of questions should I ask during the interview?
The most important factor in choosing a new tutor is whether they will be a good fit for your child. Of course, you should find out the basic information like how long they have been teaching, what their teaching philosophy is, where their expertise lies, etc. You may also want to find out why they enjoy tutoring, as this answer may give you some insight into whether you think they would be a good match. However, throughout the interview process, the question at the forefront of your mind should be, “Is this tutor well-suited for my child?” It’s great if you get along well with the tutor, but your child won’t get very far if he doesn’t. So try to envision your child working with this person and whether or not it would go well.
You may want to give your child some say in the process. Asking your child what is important to him or her in a tutor will go a long way in creating buy-in to the process, even if the only answer is that the tutor should be “nice” or “funny.”
How do I set up sessions in Braintrust?
Once you’ve found the right tutor, the next step is to decide on the timing and frequency of sessions. Think about how often they should meet (once to twice a week is most typical) and how long the sessions should be. Once you have settled on a regular time for meetings, you can request meetings directly through a tutor’s profile. You will receive an email confirmation once the sessions have been booked and automatic e-mail reminders the day before each meeting.
Depending on your child’s age and his or her feelings about tutoring, you may want to set up a time prior to the first session where your child can meet the tutor with you there. This should be brief and non-academic and will allow your child to feel more comfortable getting started.
What happens during sessions?
The first session or two are usually not heavily academic. Just like classroom teachers spend the beginning of the year establishing a classroom environment that will be most conducive to learning, tutors need to do the same in their tutoring relationships. Very often, the beginning consists of getting-to-know-you activities, goal setting, and opportunities for the tutor to build trust and get to know your child’s strengths and areas of challenge.
How involved should I be during tutoring sessions?
With the exception of that initial meeting between the three of you (if you choose to hold it) it is always best for parents to give their children space during sessions. Of course, you can be in ear-shot, especially in the beginning, but resist the temptation to jump in and mediate, encourage, or redirect. You aren’t sitting in the classroom with your child during the school day, so there’s no reason for you to sit with him during tutoring. There are of course rare exceptions, but these should always be discussed with the tutor beforehand.
Do tutors work on homework or supplemental lessons?
While it is up to you, the parent, whether tutors help your child with homework or not, we recommend that students complete their homework independently as much as possible. This way students can use sessions to ask more pointed questions and get more targeted support to gain an understanding of challenging topics or work through tricky questions. It is important to remember that it is often unhelpful for school teachers when students receive too much help on homework. Usually, teachers assign homework so they can see what students can do on their own. When your child does receive significant guidance on homework from anyone, it should always be communicated to the teacher.
How do I know what my child is learning during sessions?
Soon after a session, tutors write up a Braintrust report that will be sent to you. This report details the skills they worked on, which ones the student mastered, and which ones your child had mastered previously. Reports will also include a written description of what took place, as well as strengths and challenges the tutor noticed. You may always ask questions if anything on the report is unclear.
Have another question or need further assistance? We’re here to help! Send us an email at [email protected] or use our chat feature on the bottom right side of your web browser. We look forward to working with you to find your child’s perfect match!
English 
Spanish