Learning how to find a suitable tutor will largely impact your online learning experience. Although establishing a good relationship with a tutor will take some time and effort, it will surely pay off. Thus, to optimize your learning experience, it’s best not to rush finding the perfect tutor.
Learning with the appropriate tutor will make it fun, challenging, and exciting. The following are some tips to help you choose a tutor that will motivate and encourage you.
Determine What You Want to Learn
While you may think that this is a no-brainer, many people skip it, leading them to choose the wrong person. In this step, you want to reflect on your weaknesses. Which subjects would you like more help with? If you want to improve your English writing skills, then you should look for an English expert. If you need help in calculus, then you should find a mathematics expert.
There are many online tutoring websites, most of which list tutors according to their expertise. EdTech compares different online tutoring services, which is a really helpful tool for those in need.
Choose a Suitable Tutoring Platform
The first thing you should do is to choose the right tutoring platform, that which you think will work best for you. There are hundreds, if not thousands of platforms available today. One online search will generate a long list of platforms. It’s then a matter of choosing what you find most convenient. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when choosing a platform:
- Shows the list of available tutors
- Displays the fields of expertise of online tutors and their available times
- Allows you to make an advanced search for tutors according to your needs
- Allows you to contact tutors to ask them questions before hiring them
- Has easy and secure payment schemes
- Shows feedback or reviews from previous clients
- Provides free trial period or money back guarantee
Once you’ve chosen an online tutoring platform, it’s time to find the right tutor to work with you in reaching your goals.
Set Expectations
If you want to find someone who can help to make learning more enjoyable, you need to set expectations, and ensure that the person you settle on will fit your criteria. For this step, you may need to look at their educational background and teaching experience. For example, if you’re finding help with advanced mathematics, you may want someone who has previously taught at the high school level. If you’re planning to become fluent in Spanish, you should choose a native Spanish speaker.
Create Goals
Choosing one tutor from the thousands of options is not an easy task. To narrow down your list of candidates, you should create goals. Determine which topics you want to learn from your tutor, how often you’ll need their services and how soon you want to achieve results.
If you’re a parent and would like to find someone to assist your child, then you’ll want a person who has prior experience with children. Your child may have a very specific learning approach, and it’s best to find someone who knows how to adapt their teaching according to the learner.
Schedule an Interview
To make sure that you hire the right person to help you reach your goals, who’s an expert in the field that you need help with, ensure that you schedule an interview with the candidates. Here are some questions that you should ask:
- How long have you been teaching?
- What grade levels are you teaching?
- What do you like about being a tutor?
- What are your teaching methods?
- What do you do if a student isn’t paying attention?
Find Someone You’re Comfortable With
You don’t have to share your deepest secrets with your online tutor. However, the person you choose should be somebody who you’re comfortable with. The idea is to find a tutor who can motivate you to learn more. With the right person, each meeting should be exciting for you. Whether you want someone who’s stringent and serious or you’d prefer a sense of humor, it’s best to ensure that you have a connection with the tutor.
Set a Schedule
Determine the number of hours you plan to devote to the subject you need assistance with. Fix the days and time at which you want to have your lessons. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to look for tutors who can fit this schedule.
You can hire tutors from anywhere in the world, so it’s important to find someone you can work with in your free time. This will help to narrow down your list of candidates. Some online tutoring websites show the availability of their tutors, for your easy reference.
Know Your Budget
Your budget is an important consideration in choosing the tutor who suits you best. It would be irrational to choose someone you can’t afford. Most online tutors charge an hourly rate. In scheduling your interview, make sure that you ask the candidate how much they charges per hour.
Cancellation Policy
This is also important when finding an online tutor, since there are unforeseen events that may lead to you missing a session. Determine the kind of cancellation policy that the tutor has in place. You may need to cancel a day or two before, so it’s good to know what to do in case of emergency. You must respect your tutor’s time, as he or she also has other priorities.
Final Thoughts
Finding an online tutor is a serious matter if you truly want to benefit from your lessons. Whether you’re looking for a tutor for yourself, a friend or your child, it’s best to find a perfect match. You can easily find online teaching platforms, from which you can find tutors to assist you in your lessons.
The tutor should be an expert on the subject you need help with. He or she should be available during your desired schedule, and someone who you can afford to pay. Finally, the tutor you choose should have a teaching strategy that will be effective for the specific field of expertise.
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