People arrange private tutors for their children for a variety of reasons. The best measure of whether a child needs private tutoring is how they are performing at school. We'll take a look at each scenario and cover how you should assess your child's need for a private tutor.
Your child is performing below average in school
The first question you should ask yourself is "why?" Is your child not devoting enough time to study? Are they spending excessive hours in front of the television or out playing sport? Is there a problem at school with bullies? Does your child have Attention Deficit Disorder?
Private Tutoring can definitely help below average performing children. Children can end up in a self-fulfilling circle of performing badly and expecting to perform badly. Sometimes it's impossible for the parents to break them out of this especially if the child is rebellious and difficult to handle. A stranger such as a private tutor may have greater and faster success in improving your child's grades than you could ever hope for. An outsider will also be able to look at the child's situation with a fresh perspective and offer the family as a whole strategies to improve the performance of the child.
Your child is performing averagely in school
If your child is average at school then it all comes down to the child's goals (and your own goals for the child). The child may be perfectly happy at school, coasting along and generally enjoying herself. If they have aspirations to go to a top university or become a doctor or engineer then you will probably want to get them private tuition to push their grades up to help them achieve their dreams. If the child is doing fine and doesn't have such lofty aspirations and YOU want them to be hitting the top 5% then first talk to your child and make sure they are happy with getting a private tutor and understand and agree with your reasoning. A child could take the surprise enforcement of a private tutor the wrong way and feel humiliated or patronised. Always involve your child in the process of selecting a private tutor.
Your child is performing above average in school
Is your child being challenged enough? A lot of children coast along at school without ever being really challenged. A good private tutor can often challenge them in ways they will never experience amongst their peers at school. They can cover advanced areas of the syllabus and gain a broader depth of knowledge which may prove very useful when sitting entrance exams for the top universities. Again, talk to your child to ensure they understand why they are having private tutoring and are happy with the arrangements.
Always aim for a healthy work/life balance with your child. Play time is just as important as studying time both to build social skills as well as maintain fitness. Never push your children too hard or force them to do things they really don't want to do. The real expert on your child's capabilities and goals is the child herself.