Where can I find a good tutor for my child?

Just look in the mirror! Growing numbers of parents are hiring private tutors to help their children through school and exams despite the recession, according to a recent survey; but as a parent it is very possible to tutor your own child and avoid the traditional tutoring fee’s. 

You do not need to have a teaching qualification, just access to the resources and the time.  Spending as little as one hour per day will go towards supporting your child in their studies and help boost their grades.  Below are some tips, brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, a National Curriculum approved online learning environment for children aged 7-11.

-Set up a program with your child, and stick to it.  When planning the agenda, and in order to get the best results; involve your child and plan the schedule best suited to their learning styles. Some children perform better first thing in the morning and some function better in the evenings.  Agree a regular time and if you are unsure which time is best for your child, you could test different times of tutoring, perhaps for a week at a time.  This will help both of you understand which timings hold more value.  Once a perfect time has been agreed, display a calendar with days, times, and activities marked. 

-It is essential you have a quiet, comfortable, distraction free environment in which to tutor your child.  Nowadays the internet is a great place to find your tutoring resources, so access to the internet at your tutoring area would be beneficial. 

Ensure your tutoring desk is in easy reach of your educational supplies - pencils, erasers, paper, protractors, rulers, calculators.  Use a wall clock, and always adhere to the agreed times. 

-To encourage better listening when you are tutoring your child, get close to and make eye contact before speaking and try to speak in simple sentences, with an emphasis on important words.

Use body language to illustrate your message and regularly ask your children to repeat what you have told them in their own words to ensure they understand the lesson or point you are trying to make.

-Develop and improve your own tutoring skills. You can use the Internet to brush up on certain subjects that you are due to support your child in.

-Work as closely as possible with your child’s teacher at school. They may be able to provide guidance and suggestions that could help you tutor your own child. Supplementing and complementing what is being taught in class will be more effective than random tutoring; therefore choosing a National Curriculum approved resource, such as Key Stage Two.com would be useful.

 Always remember to praise and encourage your child for their hard efforts and don't forget to treat yourself for your own hard work!

If your child is aged between 7 and 11 why not join http://www.keystagetwo.com

It is a virtual learning environment that successfully manages to combine fun games with education, whilst concentrating on the subjects your child is learning in school to help boost their grades in a fun and engaging way.  KeyStageTwo.com is National Curriculum compliant and is now being used in schools and homes throughout Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales.  Now taking sign-ups for September 2011 at http://www.keystagetwo.com or try the Demo at http://www.keystagetwo.com/demo

Good Luck for the new term folks!