Teachers and parents alike try their best to ensure students are achieving at their highest potential. Sometimes, it becomes clear that the classroom instruction and homework time isn’t quite enough. Students can benefit from some extra attention and instruction that comes from tutoring.
How do you know if a student may benefit from a tutor? There are definite signs that suggest a student may be struggling and ready for some extra, personalized help.
LACK OF INTEREST IN LEARNING
The first telltale sign is probably the biggest. The student doesn’t care about learning anymore. When students become frustrated, it’s natural to emotionally check out and stop caring about the subject anymore. Check in with the student and ask them questions about school or the class and see how they react. If they are disinterested, ask them why and find out if there was a point when the subject stopped being interesting to them.
SLOPPY WORK
A student in need of tutoring may not show a full lack of interest, but they may be frustrated enough to do the bare minimum. Keep an eye on the quality of the work they’re doing. Are they rushing, not paying attention to detail, and showing signs of complete disorganization? If so, there’s a good chance their motivation is slipping and may need an extra boost to help them refocus and hand in the high quality work they can definitely provide.
TROUBLE STARTING THEIR WORK
Teachers can notice this on in-class assignments, while parents can monitor homework; if a student has a hard time even beginning their work, it’s a sign they are struggling. At this point, the student is still interested in trying, but they’re confused and uncertain. This is the right time to see if the student would be interested in getting some extra help.
LOWER SELF ESTEEM
Most students, before they lose motivation and give up, will feel down about their struggles. They may not speak up about it though, and instead just fall behind the rest of their class. If you notice the student feeling bad about themselves, you may want to check in on how they’re doing in class and see what might be the reason for their disappointment. Some extra, personal attention to their studies can help students realize they have the potential and ability to succeed and help raise their spirits to feel good about themselves again.
Students can begin to struggle and often will not know they need to ask for help. Parents and teachers can help catch these warning signs and decide if tutoring is the right method to help keep their students on the path to success.