10 Things to Consider Before You Hire a Private Tutor

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ed to receiving payment via apps like Venmo or Paypal. I even accept checks, from clients that I’ve worked with for years. I would advise against paying in cash. The tutor should send you an invoice and he or she should document what they did in each session.</p><h2 id="f22e">No in-person tutoring in bedrooms</h2><p id="b337">On some occasions, the student’s bedroom may be the only quiet place in the house. If that’s the case, keep the bedroom door open at all times. In most cases, the dining room table or a kitchen table is the best place for tutoring sessions.</p><h2 id="12b9">An adult should always be in the house at all times</h2><p id="bf54">On many occasions, I’ve arrived at a tutoring session and the child is home alone. If the student is under a certain age or I haven’t received prior parental permission, I won’t enter the house.</p><p id="5165">On one occasion, my student (who was over 16) had yet to arrive and her older brother let me in. After a few minutes, I heard a popping sound and saw the brother holding a gun. He was shooting into the air. Since I am a mandatory reporter, I decided it was best to report the situation, which caused a huge issue that involved the police. It turned out that it was a BB gun. The parents were apologetic but the situation may not have occurred if the parents were present.</p><h2 id="f3b2">Don’t be annoying</h2><p id="6726">Ultimately, don’t annoy the tutor. Remember that you are paying for the actual session. Yes, tutors expect to communicate with parents about scheduling and regular updates. But they don’t expect to have to debrief the parent every moment of every day. Most of the families I quit working with were just too needy. The parents would text or call at all hours of the day and night. In the end, I would get paid for one hour during the week but end up spending several hours responding to text messages and emails.</p><h2 id="9e16">Consult with an accountant</h2><p id="657d">Depending on the state, the parent may be considered the tutor’s employer. In many cases, the family may have to file appropriate

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taxes or send the tutor a 1099 form and even pay payroll taxes. The rules may fluctuate so it’s important to consult with an accountant.</p><figure id="89f4"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*hRQWr-jqP5DeRCnT"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@syinq?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Susan Yin</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="dc8a">Ask for a resume</h2><p id="db61">It doesn’t matter if you’ve known the individual for years or met him or her through a referral. You should always request a resume to see if the person is qualified to instruct your child.</p><p id="f69e">Also, a tutor may advertise themselves as a math tutor but it is important to know what level of math they can comfortably teach. Also, many tutors can teach a variety of subjects. Your tutor may be a Calculus genius but he or she may also know Spanish or excel at English.</p><h2 id="e24a">The first session should be a PAID interview session</h2><p id="d2f2">Just because someone is knowledgeable in a certain subject, doesn’t make them a good tutor or teacher. During the first session, sit down with the tutor (in person or virtually) and share your goals and expectations. If you don’t get a good vibe or don’t feel the person is right for the position, pay them their hourly fee and explain to them that you have chosen another tutor.</p><h2 id="c292">Have reasonable expectations</h2><p id="7658">If your kid is a D student, don’t expect him or her to jump to an A student just because you are shelling out money each week for tutoring. A lot of times, a student’s success in school is dependent on factors outside the tutor’s control.</p><h2 id="6f5b">Contact references</h2><p id="a9d4">Even if you know the individual, you should contact his or her references to see how reliable the tutor is. Does the tutor arrive at the sessions on time? Did the student receive higher grades when working with the tutor? How professional was the tutor?</p></article></body>

Ways to find the best tutor for your child

So little Mike has failed yet another Algebra test. Perhaps it’s time to hire a tutor. But, instead of contracting with a tutoring agency, many parents opt to hire a private tutor. Maybe they received a recommendation from a friend. Or perhaps, the family knows a student in college who excelled at Geometry. Before hiring a tutor privately, parents should do the following things to make sure they hire the appropriate tutor.

Conduct a live scan/background check on your tutor

This person is coming into your house. Even if the tutor is working with your child virtually, you should make sure the tutor has a clean record. Require that the tutor conduct a live scan.

Most reputable tutoring companies make their tutors conduct a live scan before employment. However, some private tutors can’t work for private tutoring companies because they can’t pass a background check. Furthermore, they know that most private families are less likely to conduct a background check on their tutors.

Establish payment method and frequency

Establish a routine payment plan so everyone is on the same page. Will you pay the tutor once a week? Once a month? In what method? Many tutors are used to receiving payment via apps like Venmo or Paypal. I even accept checks, from clients that I’ve worked with for years. I would advise against paying in cash. The tutor should send you an invoice and he or she should document what they did in each session.

An adult should always be in the house at all times

On many occasions, I’ve arrived at a tutoring session and the child is home alone. If the student is under a certain age or I haven’t received prior parental permission, I won’t enter the house.

On one occasion, my student (who was over 16) had yet to arrive and her older brother let me in. After a few minutes, I heard a popping sound and saw the brother holding a gun. He was shooting into the air. Since I am a mandatory reporter, I decided it was best to report the situation, which caused a huge issue that involved the police. It turned out that it was a BB gun. The parents were apologetic but the situation may not have occurred if the parents were present.

Don’t be annoying

Ultimately, don’t annoy the tutor. Remember that you are paying for the actual session. Yes, tutors expect to communicate with parents about scheduling and regular updates. But they don’t expect to have to debrief the parent every moment of every day. Most of the families I quit working with were just too needy. The parents would text or call at all hours of the day and night. In the end, I would get paid for one hour during the week but end up spending several hours responding to text messages and emails.

Consult with an accountant

Depending on the state, the parent may be considered the tutor’s employer. In many cases, the family may have to file appropriate taxes or send the tutor a 1099 form and even pay payroll taxes. The rules may fluctuate so it’s important to consult with an accountant.

Ask for a resume

It doesn’t matter if you’ve known the individual for years or met him or her through a referral. You should always request a resume to see if the person is qualified to instruct your child.

Also, a tutor may advertise themselves as a math tutor but it is important to know what level of math they can comfortably teach. Also, many tutors can teach a variety of subjects. Your tutor may be a Calculus genius but he or she may also know Spanish or excel at English.

The first session should be a PAID interview session

Just because someone is knowledgeable in a certain subject, doesn’t make them a good tutor or teacher. During the first session, sit down with the tutor (in person or virtually) and share your goals and expectations. If you don’t get a good vibe or don’t feel the person is right for the position, pay them their hourly fee and explain to them that you have chosen another tutor.