Are you a student preparing for a major exam? A bit of specialised help in your targeted area of study could help you achieve a higher score.
Parents: is your child struggling in any academic subject? Are you considering engaging a private tutor for home study or homework help?
A simple Internet search for a "home tutor" or "tutor in my area" will yield an overwhelming list of results. How to trim that list down to that one perfect teacher who will meet your expectations and fulfil your needs?
Read on to learn how to find a tutor, and how to focus your search in order to find a specific tutor or support service that's offering exactly the help you need, whether you're looking for some adult learning help or a tutor for a five-year-old.
Personal Tutors: Asking the Right Questions
Before talking with anyone about your academic progress, you should determine exactly why you/your child needs help.
What are your/your child's weaknesses in studying?
What is your/your child's learning style? What are your learning strategies?
Do you/your child have any learning disabilities?
Are you looking for specific help on target subjects, such as chemistry and English, or long-term general learning assistance with several subjects?
Would you/your child learn well via online learning, or would home tutoring be preferable?
What are your expectations of any tutor you engage?
Further examination of your individual situation might be required.
Could there be problems at school that prevent you/your child from fully benefiting from classroom learning?
According to one study, 48% of students in the UK report bullying as a problem in their school. A climate of fear or intimidation can prevent students from applying themselves fully.
It is of utmost importance that you discuss the possibility of any disrupting influence at school with your caregivers/your child.
Perhaps you/your child cannot build confidence in math and science or has lost interest in learning English. Here, inspiration can come from a dedicated mentor who can not only expound on the subject material but make it come alive through his/her passion.
A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning
Brad Henry
Conversely, if you or your child is more advanced than your current grade level, you could sharpen your academic edge by engaging in private lessons, beyond what is currently being taught at school.
Gifted students in the general education classroom suffer a mismatch between their abilities and the pace and depth of the curriculum being taught. Such disparity can be evened out through extracurricular learning from a tutor.
Other underlying causes for you or your child not performing well in school could be lack of organisation or poor time management.
In both of these cases, engaging the services of a private tutor can help arrange a schedule in which, for a part of you/your child's day, the focus is given exclusively to learning.
Find the Private Tutor that Best Suits Your Needs
Now that you know exactly why you are looking for help and what type of supplemental instruction you require, it is time to narrow your list of potential private tutors from all of the profiles and ads you have found online.
You can highlight certified teachers who possess your desired qualifications; ones with solid experience and possibly even positive feedback from other students.
And then, you should plan your interviews.
When you are looking to hire a tutor for kids (or for adults) you are likely to have some queries. Questions of cost, where and when the tutoring will take place, and session duration are obvious. Other queries you should consider are:
“What is your teaching style?”Can you instruct a variety of subjects?”
“Do you offer online sessions/group sessions at a lower cost?”
“Will you provide supplemental materials?"
- "Do you use teaching aids, like an interactive whiteboard?”
“What are your methods for working around learning disabilities like dyslexia or ADHD?”
Bear in mind that it might take some time and effort to find the perfect tutor for your/your child's unique situation. While many tutors demonstrate exemplary profiles – excellent credentials, plenty of experience and positive testimonials from other students s/he has previously worked with, they may not 'click' with you.
A one-to-one tutor should be more than just a knowledgeable person who visits your home once per week and expounds on a subject or two at a fair price. What you are looking for is a mentorship with someone who can light a fire of inspiration and nurture it into a lifelong love of learning.
Every good teacher has this capability, but not every student. That is why it is so important to hold out for one on one tutoring that will benefit you or your learner.
Making Initial Contact With Private Tutors
At this point, congratulations are in order! All of your planning is ready to be put to good use. Let us now refer to the list of prospects you have previously highlighted, and draft a message for each one.
You can start your request by stating why you've chosen to contact him/her over all of the other tutoring programs offering similar services.
Was it a particular certification that drew you to that profile? Maybe the length of experience teaching physics or tutoring maths that s/he listed? Perhaps the glowing testimonials given by other tutees is what swayed you, or geographic proximity.
Declaring your reason for addressing him/her is a great attention grabber. Let's continue, now.
By no means should you write a detailed biography, but your future tutor will need to know some particulars about you/your child, such as:
Your/your child's level of study and which subject(s) you are seeking help with.
The reason you/your child needs a tutor - is trouble with school math or reading comprehension.
Your desired outcome of such help – passing an exam, learning French, etc.
Your preferred method of delivery – online learning, in-home tutoring or a combination of both.
Proposed duration of the partnership
- What skills your child needs to succeed
You can then take the opportunity to glean further details about this tutor's experience. Even though his/her profile might be complete, there is still relevant information to be mined: how students' progress is marked, or how s/he practices reinforcement techniques, for example.
You should close your request by reiterating your need for supplemental instruction, possibly stressing the urgency of your situation.
You might consider adding your phone number, for a faster response.
What Happens Next
Generally speaking, the best tutors respond to queries within 24 hours. By that time, you should already have a budget decided and a schedule to propose, in addition to all the extra questions you have prepared for your interviews.
Once those questions have been satisfactorily answered, negotiations can begin.
Cost Per Hour of Home Tuition
Most Superprof tutors offer their first session at zero cost.
This is an important distinction because it allows you to gauge how well you/your child's learning will progress under that tutelage with no financial burden to you.
Some tutors adjust their fees according to the subject matter and level instructed. If cost is a concern for you, please consider initially targeting only your most pressing need. Improvements in other subjects can always develop later, or even as a result of confidence building through excellence in one subject.
If you are the savings-conscious type, you might want to opt for a tutor online. Distance learning generally costs less because there is no travel time involved, something that the tutors consider when calculating fees.
Another solution to eliminating travel costs from tutoring fees would be for you/your child to visit the tutor's home or tutoring agency.
Perhaps a combination of these methods might work well for you and your chosen mentor, financially and time-wise. As with all negotiations, flexibility is the key.
You might also consider searching for free tuition with a number of charitable organisations around the UK.
Arranging a Tutoring Schedule
It is as important for you/your child as for your hired tutor to maintain a regular schedule. Here, you will benefit from being flexible.
If you anticipated tutoring services on Tuesday nights for a maths session – because Wednesdays bring math exams at school, consider also leaving Wednesday evenings open so that you can discuss the test, instead.
You might also expand your availability to weekends. Weekday evenings tend to be busy for tutors of all disciplines; it would not do to lose out on potentially the most beneficial tutoring program simply because of a scheduling conflict.
The urgency and depth of your need plays a part in your tutoring schedule discussions, as does what you are seeking help with.
If you or your child needs a boost to pass a standardised test, most likely your prospective Math or Physics tutor will recommend a short-term, intensive course of study requiring more than one session per week.
Here, a combination of online tutoring and one-on-one lessons in your home would work well.
If you/your child is looking for a more in-depth understanding of a particular subject matter(s), a more relaxed, long-term solution would be forecast.
No matter what your situation, you now have a guide to finding the individualised help you need from tutors who are most qualified and ready to hone your study skills.
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Hi, hope you are well. I have just created a Super prof account in order to tutor students and I am still awaiting verification. Some of my previous students have written reviews/ recommendations for me but it is not available for me to see as tutor. I was wondering how long this verification process takes as myself and others can’t see recommendations and attend lessons from me yet and neither can they access my profile on Superprof? Please let me know soon. Maisha.
Hi. I have tried to book a tutor. U said I have maximise my tutors. We still have not found a history tutor. Please u block my account. Thanks.
It would help to have a contact telephone number for your organisation . I need to check that your tutors have DBS checks and a CV.
Hi my name is joubin Torabi and Im finding it hard to get rid of Jodie the paino teacher could you please do delete it it’s annoying me many thanks joubin Torabi
Thanks for reaching out Joubin! Could you kindly contact the team at hello@superprof.com ? Many thanks!
I would like to contact the tutor before I start my online lessons. Is there a phone number of superprof I can contact?
I need to talk to the tutor before I sign them up.
Thanks for reaching out! You can usually contact a tutor through the messaging feature on the Superprof platform before finalizing your booking. This allows you to discuss your needs and ensure the tutor is a good fit. If you need any help with this process, feel free to contact our support team at hello@superprof.com. They’ll be happy to assist you.
you have taken money from me with me taking a single lesson. i want a refund
I’m sorry to hear about the issue you’ve encountered. To request a refund, please contact our support team directly at hello@superprof.com. Provide them with details of your situation, including any relevant transaction information, and they will assist you with processing the refund and addressing your concerns. We appreciate your patience and feedback as we work to resolve this.
I need help as I have not had any response from a tutor and you have taken money
Hello! Thanks for reaching out. Please get in touch with our dedicated customer service team who will be able to help you out: team@superprof.com
I have been charged another £39 and I cancelled the subscription once already.
Hi James. Thanks very much for getting in touch. If you contact our customer service team at hello@superprof.com they’ll be able to help you out with your subscription. Thank you :)
I need a tutor for my son to help him find a job in IT.
Have opened account but certainly do not want to pay before first speaking with Tutor
Thanks for reaching out! To connect with a tutor without paying upfront, you can often use the messaging feature to discuss your needs and ensure the tutor is a good fit before committing. If you have any concerns about payment or need further assistance, please contact our support team at hello@superprof.com. They’ll be happy to help you with the process.
Can people from foreign countries be a tutor on superprof?
Hi Hossein! Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, you can sign up as an online tutor or check to see if Superprof is available in your country.
I have had £120 taken from me and I have not had a single paid lesson with any tutor from Superprof. Please respond to the emails I have sent!
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Please help me with computer teacher maths teachers
Hi Peter! You can search for computer teachers and maths teachers on superprof.co.uk. If you encounter any difficulties while looking for a tutor, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer care team at hello@superprof.com. They’ll be happy to assist you!
I am trying to contact your Customer Service. May I please have your email address? Thank you
Hi Linda,
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wish to engage Pilar but unable to get a code after multiple tries
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