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Finding the Perfect Tutor

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Does the tutor work with the school to achieve success, and how important is this? Some learning centers will contact your child's school, but the degree with which they interact varies. Boehm says the value of this depends on the situation. "I think contact is helpful if it's a backup to let the school know what the tutor has worked on. But the tutor works on skills that my daughter really needs that maybe aren't in the curriculum at school."

"I think working with the school would be helpful. That way the tutor knows exactly what's going on in order to focus on specific needs," adds Krentz.

Is the tutor or center close to you? Most Internet sites for tutoring services offer search engines to find the center nearest you. A tiresome drive to the tutor can become just one more reason for your child to resist tutoring.

Making the Grade

It may take time, but the overall goal for anyone seeking a tutor is the same: to see success at school and at home. Experts agree that early intervention is the key to that success. "We have to start heading off problems in kindergarten," says Krentz.

"The earlier you catch the problems, the greater the chance it can be remediated," says Dr. Pastorok. "If a child is not reading on grade level by third grade, then there's real danger."

The third grade was when Krentz noticed that her son needed help, and she is pleased with his progress. "I've seen much more confidence in (my son) now, and his skills are gaining. I'm amazed at how well he's done."

"We want to see them get to grade level and as far beyond as we can," says Norland. "But there are more than academic issues. These kids may have experienced a lot of failure, and that's what we want to overcome."

Boehm agrees that building confidence along with skills is key, and she's seen this in her own daughter. "It was so nice to see her energy, excitement, and confidence in herself [after tutoring]. It will make a big difference in the future."

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