There’s a lot to consider when you’re looking for a math tutor or math learning center for your child. Convenience, flexibility, price and location are important, but the actual personality and character traits of the math tutor can make or break the experience.
Here are 10 qualities to look for in a math tutor…
- Communicates well. Make sure the math tutor can communicate well and clearly with you (the parent or guardian). Because if they can’t explain things and report on progress to you, your child might feel some distance or confusion as well. A good math tutor will find different ways to explain things in case one way doesn’t work for your child. They should be approachable and personable as well.
- Has the resume experience to back them. It’s important to hire a tutor who is an expert in math. Depending on what grade your student is in, that tutor should be knowledgeable in that specific area of math and beyond. They should be able to progress with your student’s math curriculum and be comfortable teaching more complicated curriculum as well. They need foundational requirements, which our learning center requires for all of our math tutors.
- They can assess your child’s strengths/weaknesses. It is important for your child’s tutor to understand foundational gaps, strengths and weaknesses your child exhibits in math. At our learning center, our tutors always begin with written and verbal assessments to help with this. They use our unique assessment process to determine exactly what each child knows and what they need to learn. Next, they create a customized learning plan for teaching the concepts the student needs to master.
- Will help your child overcome frustration. Our math tutors make sure to set aside time to provide homework and assignment help. We understand most students can feel stressed or frustrated trying to complete homework at home, so getting help from their tutor can help overcome homework frustration.
- Is enthusiastic and passionate about teaching math. Someone who is passionate about math will stay up to date on current math teaching trends, styles and strategies. Their attitude will be uplifting and contagious to those they help. A passionate tutor will want others to learn to love math like they do and won’t view math tutoring as “work.”
- Has a good reputation. Finding a good math tutor can be as easy as asking around for someone with a good reputation. You can always contact your child’s teacher/school or ask our learning center to help match you with one of our math tutors that we think will be a good fit for your child.
- Exhibits professionalism. A math tutor should be professional—they should show up on time, be prepared, use appropriate language with your student and share relevant examples (i.e- videos, worksheets, etc.).
- Can think creatively. A good math tutor will come up with creative ways to teach and practice math with your student. This can include fun games, activities and challenges. Our learning center participates in this as well by running monthly contests, hosting events and camps and running giveaways.
- Is patient. Not every child learns the same or at the same pace. That is why we encourage our math tutors to be patient and to slow down when needed. Our Mathnasium Method of tutoring really encourages tutors to help kids build math knowledge upon what they already know—boosting confidence and helping kids learn quickly!
- Is someone who wants success for your child! This last trait is a combination of all of the above. If you’re paying a tutor who truly cares and wants your child to succeed as much as you do, you’ll be able to tell this by how the tutor responds to difficult math problems your child has, how he/she talks about your child and how they report on their progress.
Finding the right math tutor for your child doesn’t have to be hard. Let us help!
Learn more about our team and our math tutors.
(832) 569-5073
