What to Look for in a Tutor

Many parents in Singapore are now hiring private tutors. While some parents want their kids to excel in areas such as music, others want the latter to do well in academics. In any case, the outcome would depend on the tutor and more importantly tutor-student chemistry.

Here’re a few important pointers, prepared after having consulted some experienced privatetutors in Singapore; these should come handy when you screen some tutors for your kids:

1. The tutor should of course be more qualified than a student’s grade level. While some students learn well from senior tutors with a Bachelor’s degree (or higher), others tend to have a better chemistry with tutors who’re just 2-3 years older.
2. When looking for a private tutor in Singapore, make it a point to ask if s/he has relevant experience. The tutor should have hands-on experience in teaching a particular subject to a select age group.
3. Consider the learning style of your kid. Does he learn better through an informal style of teaching or a structured, school-style approach? Not all tutors can switch between these two styles.
4. Will the tutor teach online or at your premises? Is the tutor working independently or you’re hiring him/her through a private tuition agency in Singapore? The latter is a better option as you need not be worried about punctuality and other such issues. The agency will do it for you.
5. Is the tutor patient enough to walk through long learning curves with your child? If your child is having trouble learning mathematics, for example, look for a tutor who will take out time to teach the most basic of concepts without getting frustrated.  
6. Your child should ‘like’ the tutor. He can't learn until there’s some sort of amicable chemistry between him and the tutor.