Learning precalculus involves a lot of new terminology and careful memorization. If your child or teenager is struggling with math analysis and trigonometry, you might be worried how they’ll fare once they reach calculus.
Hiring a tutor is a great way to hit pause in your child’s studies and make sure they’re gaining the knowledge to excel. Here are the benefits and prices associated with getting a precalculus tutor, as well as the best approach to finding a quality one.
Shutterstock: granata68You Want Your Child To Succeed
First and foremost, you want the best for your child. Good grades in mathematics can open doors to lucrative careers in the medical, finance, and engineering sectors. Even if your child hasn’t considered what kind of professional path they want to take, it’s always preferable to have the most options available.
By missing or misunderstanding a single lesson, young minds can be discouraged from learning about logarithms and exponential functions, let alone the Cartesian coordinate system! Having a tutor will reinforce your child’s comprehension and build their confidence.
Moving At Their Pace
Everyone learns at different speeds, and the classroom environment isn’t equipped to make sure that each student is absorbing a lesson the same way. This is why tutors have become a game-changing asset in the educational field.
Personalized instruction from a precalculus tutor allows your child to have a greater say in the flow of each lesson. Tutors can elaborate on tricky questions and review confusing concepts without an entire room of classmates listening in.
Saving Time And Energy
The idea of hiring a tutor may feel like an added commitment, but the arrangement typically reduces homework time. A tutor’s familiarity with your child’s strengths and weaknesses can help them identify which aspects of precalculus are making homework such a chore. Plus, their presence will keep your child engaged.
If you’ve been helping your child with after-school studies – and likewise trying to wrap your head around linear, quadratic, polynomial and rational functions – a tutor can free up your time as well!
What Will It Cost?
The price of a precalculus tutor will depend on their expertise, education level, and the difficulty of the subject matter. If the tutor you select is a student or teaching assistant, the average wage per hour will range between $25 and $50 1. If you want to invest in a mature tutor with better credentials, there are teachers and professors who offer tutoring on the side – but on average, they tend to charge around $70 per hour 2.
You can also choose between online tutoring services and private tutors. The online option generally charges hourly or monthly fees, whereas private tutors may charge additional fees for travel or cancellations. If you want a private tutor experience but don’t want to negotiate over pay and fees, look into private tutor learning centers, which offer flat rates and transparent fees. Some even have their own curriculums, although they may charge book fees 3.
Finding The Perfect Fit
People seek out math tutors for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you want your child to stay on top of lessons while they transition between schools, or maybe you want someone to train your child for an upcoming math tournament. Luckily, tutors are available with all kinds of specialties and skill sets.
To find the ideal tutor for your child, be sure to ask each candidate about their expertise. Since success in precalculus involves a lot of foundational knowledge, make sure your tutor can communicate a broad understanding of mathematics. Many tutors specialize in the curriculum of a particular high school grade, so it’s also a good idea to find someone who can assist your child through multiple years (if necessary).
Even if you don’t comprehend a lot of their academic abilities, speaking with a prospective tutor will help you determine if their personality will be a match for your child.
Be Upfront With Them
The one-size-fits-all approach to education is sorely under-serving today’s kids, which is why more parents than ever are hiring tutors. To ensure that this experience gives your child’s grades a boost, research the best online and private precalculus tutors in your area.
Five-star reviews are important, but make sure you have a one-on-one conversation with a tutor before you agree to terms. It’s an excellent opportunity to gauge their friendliness, and ask direct questions about their rates, additional fees, and whether they offer bundles of sessions at a discount.