Is a tutor to help with home school a good option for you? Here is what to consider.
Here's what you'll learn in this article:
- Tutoring is another option to supplement your homeschooling efforts.
- 3 key considerations when considering engaging a tutor to help with home school.
- Answers to common questions about working with a tutor.
- Key takeaways to help you consider using a tutor.
- Where to learn more about managing home school.
Tutors are Another Resource to Help with Homeschooling
What image comes to mind when you think of a tutor? You might recall prior centuries where tutors or governesses were a common approach to schooling for the upper class. You might also recall a more modern use of a tutor when remediation is needed. A tutor can be a lot more than either of these common versions.
Think broadly about what a tutor can provide to your home school experience. A tutor might provide expertise on a favorite topic, exposure to new ideas, or a different perspective on a challenging topic. Engaging a tutor can be the experience you need and want.
3 Key Considerations When You Are Thinking About Engaging a Tutor
Let's get creative with how we think about tutors and how they can support homeschooling, with these three considerations:
1. A Tutor Can Be Anyone
Your home school needs dictate who you need as a tutor. If you have an advanced physics student, then you might need a physics professor or an advanced graduate student. But if you are looking to build your child's interest in a musical instrument, then a passionate neighbor might do. The key is to think about what you need and who can fill that need. Look outside of traditional role expectations.
2. Tutors for All Topics
There is more to home school than covering basic core curriculum or state mandated subjects. Likewise, tutoring can cover all sorts of topics from identifying parts of nature to learning cooking techniques. If you have a child interested in a topic that is beyond what you can provide, then consider who might be able to provide that expertise. It is key to remember that tutoring can occur well beyond traditional academic subjects.
3. Tutoring Sometimes or All the Time
Engaging a tutor adds another dynamic to home school. If your schedule is already full, then adding something else has to be done wisely. Engaging a tutor does not have to be a weekly occurrence for the next four years. You might engage a tutor weekly for a month or even once a month for a season. As you consider who is a good fit and what topic you want covered with your child, factor in the logistics too. Remember that you can tailor the experience as a trial or with a specific focus.
FAQs: A Tutor is Another Resource for Homeschooling
Isn't Tutoring Really Expensive?
Tutoring can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Think about your needs and the goal. If funds are limited, you might get the most out of one session with a more credentialed tutor. If you are more interested in having an opportunity for your child to be out of the house and learning from someone other than you, then a neighbor who is less likely driven by the compensation, might be a fit.
How Do I Find Tutors?
It depends who and what your needs are. If you are looking for more traditional tutoring or for an academic topics, then inquiring with local schools, community colleges, and universities is a great option. Graduate students are likely highly capable and often looking for ways to make additional money. If you are looking for a varied topic then consider stores in the community where you might be able to post about your need (e.g., a sewing shop for tutoring on how to make a stuffed animal) or posting to neighborhood message boards through apps.
Key Takeaways
- Tutoring is a resource. Tutoring is one more option available to you to help you manage home school and provide a rich experience to your children.
- Anyone can tutor. Depending on the goal and the topic, a tutor can be lots of people from a neighbor to an older child.
- Tutoring can benefit varied topics. There is no need to limit tutoring to academic topics only.
- Make tutoring fit for your family. You can tailor the amount of tutoring and the focus to find something that fits with the other aspects of your homeschooling.
Where to Learn More
If you would like more information about building home school lessons and experiences that are custom-tailored to your children's needs, consider becoming a member of Crush Home School. With our membership plan, you get monthly guidance delivered to your inbox with downloadable resources and much more. Learn more about becoming a Crush Home School member.