So, you’ve decided to engage a tutor. But how do you choose one? In a crowded field of potential tutors, how can you know you’re making the right choice?
Let’s go through some of the most important qualities to look for in an excellent tutor.
- Expertise
Tutors should, clearly, be experts in the areas that they teach. A great tutor will not rely on the fact that they achieved a great score in the subject themselves, but will go above and beyond to collect resources, learn even more than they knew in high school, and equip their students to achieve greatness.
- Patience
Someone could be the best in the world at a particular subject, but that doesn’t mean they necessarily have the personality or temperament to be a good tutor. Tutors need to be patient and understanding, recognising that learning happens at a different pace for every student.
- Experience
Tutoring, like anything, is something that people improve at with experience. While some tutors with no experience can also be amazing, if you think it’s important, it’s worth checking if potential tutors have much experience, especially if you think your child has different needs to most.
- Interpersonal skills
Tutoring is all about effective communication. Look for a tutor who is great at communicating with both parents and students – these interpersonal skills will be very important when it comes to the teaching and learning process. In the end, students need to build up trust with their tutor in order to have the best learning outcomes.
- Adaptability
Great tutors know how to adapt their teaching for each individual student. Look for a tutor who offers to tailor their lessons to the student, and who might have experience working with a wide range of people and needs. If the tutor adapts their teaching to suit the student, this will obviously leave the student with the best educational outcomes.
- Passion
Ultimately, a fantastic tutor is passionate about the subject(s) they teach, and it is a passion they are keen to share with the students they tutor. A great tutor will inspire their students to find the interesting aspects of subjects they might previously have found difficult. It is far easier to learn and be successful when you have a genuine interest in a subject, so look for tutors who really care about what it is that they teach!
Check out Learnmate’s wide range of tutors.
If you loved this article, you will LOVE all of our other articles, such as: How to Motivate Yourself to Study at Home, How to Develop Problem-Solving Skills in Students, and The Benefits and Importance of Learning About Grammar.
About Learnmate
Learnmate is a trusted Australian community platform that connects students who want 1:1 or small group study support, with tutors who are looking to share their knowledge and earn an income. From primary school to high school subjects — from science and maths to niche subjects like visual communication — Learnmate can help you improve academic performance or boost confidence, at your pace with the tutor that you choose.
We pride ourselves in offering a reliable and positive experience for both our students and tutors. Every tutor that joins the platform is vetted to meet a level of academic excellence, teaching qualification or relevant experience. All tutors are provided the opportunity to complete professional training.
Students and parents can easily find and screen for tutors based on their location, their subject results or skill level, and whether they provide in-person or online sessions. Learnmate is proud to provide tutors in Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth & Adelaide, and other locations.