At What Age Should You Get a Tutor?

Whether your child is struggling with math or they’ve exceeded the math taught at their grade level in school and are looking for a challenge, there might come a time when you have to decide if getting a math tutor is the right choice for your child.

Hello Thinkster is an innovative new math tutoring company offering online tutoring services, helping your child improve or challenge their math skills from the comfort of your home—allowing one-on-one instruction while adhering to social distancing protocol.

So, how young is “too young” when it comes to hiring a private math tutor?

Early Education Builds a Strong Foundation

There is no “one size fits all” outlook when it comes to education, and this includes determining if your child needs a math tutor or just a little extra nudge. Children express frustration and anxiety in different ways, and this can often be reflected in their school work. If you believe that your child’s attitude has changed because of their school performance, talk to their teacher. Sometimes getting an inside look at where your child seems to struggle can help you decide the next steps to take. Some children just need to be reminded to slow down and think it through, while others might need the extra outside help.

However, many children in grades kindergarten through second experience periods of struggle from time to time. These grades are taught at a pace that your child should, with a little extra effort, be able to catch back up to his or her classmates before moving on to the next part of the curriculum. Children who fall into this age group (5 years to 8 or 9 years) are also in the crucial stage of development where they are learning that mistakes are okay, and building problem-solving skills from those mistakes.

Every kid learns at a different pace, and some kids just need a little extra push to help them learn the basics. Consider taking different approaches to help your child with math—like afterschool homework help, an extra few minutes on homework at night, or explaining the math in a different way—before reaching out to a math tutor. If you feel the need the help bridging that gap, HelloThinkster’s online services might be a wonderful option for your family.

Sooner Rather Than Later

Although it is important to let your child make mistakes and learn from them, it is also important that they get outside help if they are clearly struggling with math. The most basic math they learn builds on itself with each passing grade, and ensuring that they don’t miss any steps because they are struggling will mean success through middle school, into high school, and beyond. If you feel that extra help in the classroom or at home isn’t enough to help your child succeed, hiring a tutor as soon as possible will help them catch up as quickly as possible. Delaying hiring a tutor can cause your child’s performance to slip further, lowering their confidence and causing a chain reaction between lowered performance and lowered confidence.

If you are afraid your child will become reliant on their tutor and won’t have the drive to learn on their own, set reasonable goals within a time frame like a couple of months or a semester, and then determine if your child is still in need of a math tutor when that time is up. Some children will need a tutor long-term, while others might find success by catching up and becoming more confident in their math skills.

Test Prep Stress

As your child progresses through school, they will encounter an endless stream of standardized testing—ultimately preparing them for the SAT and ACT tests that can help them get into the college of their choice. If your child is anxious about taking these exams, or if you want to ensure that they are as prepared as possible, hiring a test prep tutor could be a good investment. High school math can be a challenge, but giving your child adequate practice and preparation for these tests will give them the confidence to succeed.

A test prep tutor is also an important resource if your child is a strong student but struggles with time management. Since these tests are timed, a tutor can work with your child to make sure that they make the most of every minute allotted for the test so they aren’t cramming in a bunch of answers at the last minute after lingering on a few tough problems for too long.

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. While getting a tutor too young can have a negative impact on your child’s problem-solving skills, delaying bringing in outside help can cause your child to fall further behind. Monitor your child’s progress throughout the semester or trimester and keep an eye on where they struggle. If your child needs extra help, bringing in a math tutor as they build their educational foundation could change their future.