Determine Your Child’s Needs – Before you can hire an effective tutor for your child, you need to understand exactly what their needs are. It may just be one particular subject that they are struggling with or they may actually have a learning disability, such as dyslexia, that is slowing them down. Talk to your child as well as their teachers to figure out exactly what they need help with. If need be, get them tested to make sure there isn’t a learning disability that has to be addressed as well.

Interview the Tutor – Once you have determined what your child needs, get recommendation for tutors from school administrators. When you have a few names, schedule an appointment to meet them face to face. This will give you an opportunity to assess their personality and whether they would be a good fit for your child. Ask them about their credentials, previous experience, and teaching style. You want to make sure they have the experience and ability to effectively teach your child. You will also need to find out when they are available for tutoring, the cost, and how often they would be willing to work with your child on a weekly basis.

Check References – Ask for references from the tutor and follow up on them. In addition to asking parents about their student’s progress, find out how the tutor conducted themselves. The last thing you want is to hire someone that seems responsible on the surface but turns out to be lazy or, worse, dangerous. When you have narrowed down your choices, you can hire a tutor on a trial basis and then sit in on a few sessions to see how things are going. If things seem to be going well, then you have a winner. If not, then simply pick another name from the list and start another trial.