Hiring a private tutor has to be a very conscious affair. A private tutor provides that additional help for students after school hours. The tutoring industry in Australia is an unorganised one, which means that anyone can be a tutor in Australia. This calls for a detailed understanding and investigation while hiring a tutor for your kids. So let us consider some factors that can help you find the best tutor that meets your exact expectations.
1. Giving too much importance to price
Budget is an unavoidable factor when it comes to hiring any kind of service. Low-priced tutoring services can be a major problem because of the unprofessional standards of the services. Tutors who quote extremely low prices for their services can hire people who do not have the relevant experience and qualifications. This doesn’t mean that high-priced tutors are the best. Before hiring a tutor for your child, make sure that they have the needed certificates and experience in handling the Australian curriculum.
2. Rendering of services
The methods through which online tutoring in Australia is given to the students say a lot about the entire tutoring service. The tutoring service that you choose for your kid should have a systemized way of tutoring, which will help build better interaction and support for kids from their respective tutors. They should also have in-built features on their tutoring platform that make the entire process effective.
3. Not aware of the credentials
To be a qualified tutor in Australia, one needs to be in possession of the Working with Children Card, or the Blue Card. As the private tutoring sector is largely unmonitored, this provides a bigger scope for tutors who are not qualified or trained to offer their services. Make sure you are choosing a tutor with a relevant ID card, and if they provide you with the number, It is necessary to check them into the state’s portal for the same. As there are no formal qualifications in Australia for being a tutor, make sure you take the initiative to understand the process and validate the tutor’s experience before hiring them.
4. Australian Curriculum
Most parents make the mistake of hiring a tutor who is not very well-versed in the Australian Curriculum. As each and every curriculum around the world is different, conceptual literacy, along with understanding what the Australian educational system demands from their students, is of major concern and importance while deciding on the tutor. Also, the Australian curriculum differs within countries, so make sure that the one you hire is aware of these changes and helps formulate subject matters accordingly.
5. Choosing the right tutor for the relevant years
A tutor who has inert knowledge and understanding of the subject doesn't necessarily mean that they can teach classes for every level. Especially for primary-level students, make sure you hire a teacher who holds an exclusive training certificate for the same. The teaching of primary classes requires patience and the ability to devise lesson plans while accommodating the needs of the students. The primary years are also a stage where they are introduced to the entire learning process, and there will be kids who struggle to keep up with their peers. So, hire someone who has the calibre to address this efficiently.
6. Limited flexibility on the platform
Online tutoring in Australia gained momentum during the pandemic. With the quick need for online methods for the rendering of academic services, it didn’t quite give the tutors or such tutoring services management the flexibility in creating study platforms. Zoom was the most popular platform through which sessions were conducted. The basic services provided by Zoom are free of charge, which limits the exclusivity of handling sessions with students. Parents would go for tutoring services that have devised an exclusive platform of their own that actually helps the students get the maximum benefits from the learning process.
7. Choosing group tutoring over one-on-one tutoring
Different students have different requirements when it comes to their learning process. Most parents opt for group tutoring because it is less expensive. For students who are struggling to keep up with their peers, group tutoring will be nothing more than a waste of time. Opt for one-on-one tutoring if your child requires that extra care and attention. It will also help them lose any sort of inhibitions while asking questions. So, make sure you sign up for services that meet the exact needs and requirements of your child.
8. Booking classes
If the classes that you take for your child are extremely subject-oriented and the tutor is exceptional at covering a chunk of the portions in one sitting, then it will be better to limit those classes to one or two per week. Over-burdening the students with more classes can result in poor coordination and exhaustion, which will have a direct impact on their studies.
9. Choosing a pre-set lesson plan rather than needs-based tutoring
Tutoring services that offer pre-decided lesson plans will not help students. A pre-decided curriculum is already provided in the school. When you plan for private tutoring services, make sure you get your child a tutoring service that caters to their needs. Children who are having a hard time comprehending in school do not need the repetition of what they are enduring in their school time to be repeated in their private lessons. Having a tutor who can sit and listen to the needs of the students and devise a lesson plan that effectively meets their needs This will instil the student with much needed confidence in dealing with the subject and help them score better marks as well.
10. Free Trial Lessons and Assessment Plans
Free trial lessons can never help the child determine whether he or she is fine and comfortable with the tutor and their teaching methods. Find a tutoring service that gives you some flexibility, which will help the student take some classes and understand whether the assigned tutor is right for them. Free assessments can also never determine the cause of why the students are performing badly in their schoolwork. So, find a tutor who has the ability to gradually assess the needs of the students.
You can contact Edugraff, the leading online tutors in Australia, for more details.