When Should You Get a Tutor?

• They're consistently below expected level and school support isn't closing the gap
• You're in tears over homework battles every night
• They have anxiety about a particular subject and confidence is crushed
• There's a identified learning need (dyslexia, ADHD) and specialist support would help
• They're advanced and bored, and enrichment isn't available at school
• They've missed significant teaching and need catch-up

What doesn't warrant tutoring:

• General school struggles (all kids go through phases)
• Laziness or low motivation (tutoring won't fix attitude)
• Normal homework difficulty (that's healthy struggle)

Before paying, ask the school:

• "What support is available through the school?" (Many schools offer free homework help, reading recovery, learning support)
• "Is there an identified need we should assess formally?" (Some kids need official diagnosis to unlock support)
• "What can we do at home to support?" (Often that's enough)

Sometimes free school-based support is actually better—the teacher's insights directly inform tutoring.

Online: Flexible, can be cheaper, anonymous (good if kid is embarrassed). Downside: less personal, need good internet.

One-on-one in-home: Personalised, comfortable, parents can observe. Downside: expensive, less structured.

Group tutoring: Cheaper, some peer motivation, might be intimidating if far behind.

Homework club: Supervised space, not tutoring but structured. Good for kids who need accountability.

Specialist tutors (literacy, maths, etc.): More expensive, but trained in specific learning differences.

• Referrals: Ask school, other parents, community centres. Word-of-mouth is gold
• Qualifications: Look for teachers, learning specialists, or tutors with credentials in their area
• Experience with your child's issue: A tutor experienced with dyslexia isn't useful if your child's issue is anxiety
• Trial session: Most offer one free or cheap session. Use it to gauge fit
• Communication with you: They should update you on progress and ask about your child's response

Tutoring isn't magic. It works alongside school learning, not instead of it.

Timeline: Give it 8-12 weeks to see real progress. Expect gradual improvement, not sudden jumps.

Cost: Australian tutors typically charge $30-80/hour. Some offer packages for discounts.

Effort: Your child still needs to do the work. A tutor can explain, but they can't understand for them.

If after 10 sessions there's no progress, reassess. Wrong tutor, wrong approach, or deeper issue worth investigating.

Kids need downtime. If you add tutoring on top of school + sport + music, there's no space for play or rest.

Overscheduling leads to burnout and stress, not improvement.

If tutoring + school is too much, reduce other commitments, not sleep or free time.

The goal is competence and confidence, not a perfect resume.