Reading Tutor
Children who are struggling with reading often feel like they are falling behind the rest of their classmates, like they are "dumb", and like reading is just "too hard." It's very important that your child feel confident in her reading skills, as it will impact her self-confidence in all of her other subjects. That's why parents of struggling students frequently consider hiring a reading tutor for their child. Additionally, teaching reading can be a challenging task for a parent, particularly if English is not your first language--so a reading tutor can often help. While certainly not required, any additional individual attention that your child can get is a positive step for her education. Here are some things to consider when hiring a reading tutor:
- Positive Messaging: Hiring a reading tutor, particularly if you don't have time to devote individual attention to working with your child, can send a strong positive message about the importance of reading and education in your household.
- Supporting the classroom education: When searching for a reading tutor, make sure that he is familiar with the local reading curriculum: have him review the books and worksheets that your child is reading so the tutor can support her.
- Save your child's reading papers from school: The reading tutor can get a better sense of your child's strengths, weaknesses, and intellectual patterns by reviewing her school work.
- Results oriented: I tend to be most impressed by reading tutors who can quantify past success.
- Referrals: Don't be afraid to ask potential reading tutors for names and phone numbers of previous clients. Ask those parents what they thought of the tutor, whether the child liked him, if he improved her reading skills.