You can get on well with a teacher without necessarily finding it easy to learn from them. You might also understand their feedback but get stuck as soon as the numbers change. To choose a good tutor, you need to look a bit further than just «they explain things well».
Before you sign up, ask yourself these seven questions. You don’t need to conduct a complicated interview: a straightforward conversation can already help you understand what’s on offer and what suits your needs.
1. What experience do you have with learners at my level?
Take into account their training and experience in the subject, but also their experience with your class and your course. Teaching maths at secondary school and preparing pupils for a second-year A-level exam do not involve exactly the same kind of work.
You could say: «I’m in Year 9 and I’m struggling with problems that involve equations. How would you go about helping me?» A practical answer will teach you more than a long list of promises.
2. What happens during a session?
Is it a live lesson, a video to watch on your own, or a mix of both? How much time do you spend listening, looking things up and correcting your work? How can you let the teacher know if you haven’t understood something?
A productive session should allow you to do some of the work yourself. Ask whether you’ll need to explain a procedure or solve an exercise without help. Research on learning [1] argues that it is worth testing your work, rather than relying solely on proofreading.
3. Do you work with my programme?
State the exact name of your class, your course and the language of instruction. Show a page from your exercise book or a recent test. The teacher needs to be able to assess what you are studying and adapt the exercises to the expected standard.
For an exam class, ask which curriculum frameworks and topics it is based on. The Department’s resources and announcements enable you to find the school documents for [2] For reference. Just because an exercise is interesting doesn’t automatically mean it’s suitable for your exam.
4. How many of us will there be, and how will the questions be dealt with?
The number of pupils provides a point of reference, but the way the class is organised is just as important. Ask whether the pupils are at the same level, whether everyone has a chance to contribute, and how the teacher helps those who haven’t finished.
Online, you can ask whether questions are taken via the microphone, the chat function or at a set time. In face-to-face sessions, see if you really dare to put your hand up. You should be able to say «I didn’t understand» without feeling silly.
5. What will the total price be?
Please provide a clear answer: is the price per hour, per session or per month? Is it for one subject or several? Are there any enrolment fees? Do you have to pay for any course materials? What happens during the holidays or when you’re absent?
Make sure you get the terms confirmed in writing before you pay. A clear price allows you to discuss it with your parents and avoid any misunderstandings. A small amount may be acceptable, but you need to know what it covers.
6. Can I try out the method before committing to a long-term programme?
Ask if there is a trial session or an initial session with no long-term commitment, then check the price and terms. A taster session isn’t necessarily free.
After this session, try another exercise without the answer key. If you get stuck, identify which step you’re struggling with. You don’t need to have mastered everything straight away; the main thing is to be able to explain what has become clearer and what you still need to work on.
7. How can we contact you and keep track of any issues?
Who should you contact if your child is absent? When should you send a query? Can parents expect a reply? Ask via the designated channel and within the usual timeframes, without assuming that the teacher will be available at all hours.
Keeping track of your progress can be simple: the topics covered, recurring mistakes and the next step. You need to understand where to focus your efforts between lessons.
The sign to look out for: you’re becoming more independent
Helpful guidance doesn’t make you reliant on being corrected. Little by little, you’ll become better at identifying the relevant information, come up with the beginnings of a solution, and know how to check your answer. These small changes are worth noting.
Would you like to ask Elite Academy these questions? Send details of your class and the relevant subject via WhatsApp. Enquire about availability, terms and conditions, and how the lessons are structured so you can make an informed decision.
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