In today’s world of commuting our kids to sports, music lessons, and other enrichment activities, the question of whether to hire a tutor has implications not just for the child in question, but the whole family. Hiring a professional to help your child catch up in school is an investment of money and time, so the decision to hire someone to be a math tutor or reading tutor should not be made lightly. At the same time, however, hiring a tutor can truly be the saving grace for a child who truly is struggling.

What factors should be taken into account if you’re deciding if your child needs a tutor? The following questions should help you decide:

• Is your child working really hard, but still receiving poor grades?
• Is she still working to master the fundamentals of a subject that is moving on to more advanced work? For example, many new 4th graders struggle with the higher reading expectations made of them, because they are, in effect, still learning to read. Similarly, more advanced math is not going to make much sense to a child who is still struggling with basic equations.
• Are the child’s teachers expressing concern about grades, class participation, incomplete homework, or test performance?
• Is your child expressing frustration with a particular subject, telling you she’s “not good at” a subject, or showing negative or disruptive behaviors in a particular class? Negative or disruptive behaviors often result because the child does not understand what is going on in the class and doesn’t feel comfortable asking for help.
• Does your child suffer extreme test anxiety?

“Yes” answers to any of these questions serve as a warning flag that your child is struggling to a degree that bringing in a tutor is not just helpful, but necessary.