The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Primary School Maths Tutor
You spent hours helping your child with their maths homework last night. The minute they walk through the door, you can sense how they did just by the look on their face. They hand you the worksheets. Sure enough, 75% of the answers are wrong. And even worse? You’re not sure how to help them going forward.
It may be time to call in the maths reinforcements.
A primary school maths tutor can show your child how to understand place value, compound fractions, and those pesky standard operations–among other mathematical concepts. Although, unlike reading or science, primary school maths can be tricky to tutor.
Depending on the root of your child’s maths challenges, finding the right tutor to meet your child’s needs can be challenging. That’s why we’ve put together the pros and cons you’ll need to know before hiring a maths tutor for your child.
Pros of Hiring a Primary School Maths Tutor
If you’re on the fence about hiring a maths tutor, it’s crucial to have a clear picture of the positive benefits that come with the territory. Let’s dive in!
A good tutor will accommodate your child’s unique learning style
Does your child seem to focus more on their homework when you give them one-on-one attention? Do they excel at multiplication and division but flounder when they have to show their process?
An effective tutor will recognise your child’s unique learning style and customise their learning materials and approach to fit their needs. This individualised approach is something your child can’t receive at school either. With over 20 students in a single classroom, teachers don’t have the time or the capacity to give everyone the one-on-one attention they may need to excel.
Tutoring can bring on better grades and improve self-confidence
How many nights have you witnessed your child’s frustration over doing their maths homework? You can tell their self-confidence is dwindling. No doubt, they get upset and maybe even engage in negative self-talk.
A maths tutor can help them improve their self-confidence. That’s because they can see how your child tackles different maths problems and then work with them closely to change their approach–and reward them with praise when they succeed.
There is no magic formula for how to get an A in maths. One thing we do know, however, is consistency is key. When your child meets regularly with their maths tutor, it can result in better grades and higher self-confidence.
Tutors can offer flexible schedules
If your school week is full of after-school activities, sports games, meetups, and of course, homework and a nightly routine, you may be wondering how to incorporate a maths tutor into your schedule. After all, the last time we counted, there were only 24 hours in a day.
The good news is a tutor can accommodate you and your child’s schedules and can work
with you to find a time that works for you and them. Maybe an hour or two of maths tutoring over the weekend would be ideal. Or, three nights per week with a virtual tutor might be even more convenient [and often more affordable, too]. Once you find the right maths tutor, you’ll be able to hash out the logistics and find dates and time slots that work for everyone!
Save time by learning while completing homework
You may be hesitant about hiring a tutor because you don’t want to add extra work to your child’s full academic plate. An effective maths tutor can show your child how to work smarter, not harder.
For instance, if your child comes home with a maths worksheet due the next day, a good tutor will use their session to work with them on that instead of requiring them to complete different problems or maths sets.
This way, your child can get the maths help they need while also getting their homework done. Even more, once their homework and maths tutoring ends, your child can return to playing Bullrush with their friends, playing their new video game, or any number of activities they enjoy.
Possible Cons of Hiring a Maths Tutor
No matter which maths tutor you hire, there are a few possible downsides you’ll need to know. Let’s dive in!
High cost
Since tutoring shouldn’t be a one-time meetup, the cost of maths tutoring can accumulate over the term. If your family’s on a tight budget, you may not have the extra funds to foot a tutoring bill. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid breaking the bank.
Hire your maths tutor during the off-season, such as during school breaks and holidays. Holiday tutoring usually comes with a lower price tag and even more scheduling flexibility for you and them. That’s a win-win situation!
Possible overdependence on tutor
You’ll need a maths tutor who can guide your child, not do their work for them. Similarly, you don’t want your child to become overly dependent on the tutor. After all, they won’t be able to maintain a tutoring relationship indefinitely.
An effective tutor will teach your child how to improve their maths skills independently. As a result, they’ll equip them with the critical thinking, problem-solving, [and confidence] they need to tackle any maths problem on their own.
Lack of results
Tutoring is an investment in your child’s learning experience. So, when you hire a maths tutor, you’ll, no doubt, expect positive results. Homework completed, sans drama. High marks on in-class quizzes. And, hopefully, their self-confidence improves day after day.
Depending on your child’s learning aptitude and their challenges with maths, the results you may be hoping for might not happen immediately [or at all]. This can happen anytime, regardless of the maths tutor you hire. Here are several reasons why that might occur:
- Your tutor lacks adequate experience.
- Your child may suffer from dyscalculia or other learning difficulties – if so, get a tutor that can cater to this.
- Your child and tutor aren’t a good fit.
- Your child isn’t practising maths skills on their own.
- Anxiety and stress may be interfering with your child’s learning process.
- The tutor isn’t adjusting to the child’s academic needs, etc.
- Your child might associate the need for a tutor with their own failures. This mindset can chip away at their confidence even more.
It’s critical to remember that your child will learn at their own pace. An experienced tutor will incorporate customised maths teaching strategies. This will help them get back on track and achieve the results they need to tackle maths now and in the future.
Further aversion toward maths
It’s always possible that numerous tutoring sessions won’t yield the results you were expecting. Even worse? Your child might doubt their abilities to learn the material or end up hating maths altogether. That’s not ideal.
That’s why we can’t emphasise enough the importance of hiring an experienced and savvy maths tutor. They’ll hone in on what your child is particularly struggling with and then adjust their sessions according to their individual needs. To best aid your child’s growth in maths, it’s best to find an experienced tutor who will take the time to foster their maths skills and equip them with the confidence they need to conquer their maths obstacles.
Ready to Add Up the Positive Benefits of Hiring a Maths Tutor?
Maths doesn’t come easily to every child. So, seeking the expertise of an experienced maths tutor can quash a lot of the anxiety surrounding their progress and success in maths. While there are several pros and cons you’ll want to consider before hiring the right maths tutor for your child, you’ll want to find an expert from a service you trust.
With our tried-and-true tutoring methods, we can help your child improve their maths skills with our at-home and online tutoring options. So, if you’re looking to hire an experienced maths tutor for your primary school child, A Team Tuition can meet your child where they are. Find an experienced tutor near you today!