How to find a tutor your child will actually work with

Most tutoring that doesn't work fails for an ordinary reason: the child and the tutor never get going together. The degree on the wall rarely decides it. How the first few sessions go usually does.

The quick answer

• Decide what the help is for before you look: catching up, keeping up, or going further.
• Prefer someone who teaches children this age every week over someone who is merely expert in the subject.
• Search by subject and place, read the class page, and look at who teaches it.

Decide what the help is for

"Help with math" covers three different jobs. A child who missed something needs a tutor who can find the gap and go back for it. A child who is keeping up but anxious needs steady practice and someone patient. A child who is racing ahead needs a challenge, and will be bored by both of the others. Say which one it is in your first conversation and watch whether the answer changes what they suggest.

What to look for

• Experience with this age group. Explaining fractions to a nine-year-old is its own skill.
• A plan they can describe. Ask what the first four weeks look like. A good tutor answers straight away.
• How they tell you what happened. You shouldn't have to ask after every session.
• One to one, or a small group? A small group is often cheaper and, for many children, more fun.

Search on Befundo

On Find classes you can search by subject or keyword, choose in person or online, set a city and a distance, and set a price range. Each class page says what it covers, who teaches it, when it runs and what it costs, or "Price on request". Many teachers also have an instructor page with their background and every class they teach.

After the first few sessions

Give it three sessions before you judge. Then ask your child two questions: what did you do, and was it hard? Vague answers to both usually mean it isn't working yet.

Find a tutor

Open Find classes, search for the subject, and read the class page before you register the child it's for.