Is your child falling behind in school? Whether they’re dealing with a learning disability, slipping grades, poor time management, or homework frustrations, tutoring help for struggling students can make a real difference. The good news: There are a variety of tutoring options available in Southwest Florida, including free programs, local tutors, and online platforms. Here’s how to find the right academic support for your child—no matter your budget.
How to find a tutor
Another option is to search online for tutors in your area. You’ll likely find a couple of local tutoring companies. These often offer on-site tutoring, but some might offer in-home tutoring as well. There are also many websites developed for helping parents find tutors. Takelessons.com has a searchable database of tutors. Just enter your ZIP code and the school subject to find tutors in your area. This site also shows tutors’ ratings and their fees per session. Another source is Care.com, which connects people with various service professionals, including tutors. Experience in tutoring varies widely, however. So, check their reviews and ask for references.
Online tutoring is another popular choice, though it may not be right for every child. Also, do your research because the reviews of many online tutoring companies are fair to mediocre, at best. The costs of online tutoring aren’t always consistent with quality.
Free tutoring
If tutoring isn’t in your budget, there are several options. First, check with your child’s school. Some schools offer one-on-one tutoring programs for eligible students. Many schools also offer after-school group tutoring. Kids can stay after school to work on their homework with assistance from a teacher. Some teachers also offer after-school tutoring for their students.
If tutoring isn’t available at your kid’s school, ask trusted family members, neighbors, and friends if they can help. You might discover someone you know is enthused to help your struggling child.
Another option is to contact your local high school and community college. Students majoring in particular subjects or teaching are required to do a certain number of hours of tutoring. For that reason, students often offer it for free.
There’s also the popular Khan Academy website, which offers free online video tutorials for students at all levels. Visit www. khanacademy.org.
What to look for in a tutor
There are several factors to consider when looking for a tutor.
These include:
Is the tutor qualified? Your best bet is to look for someone with a teaching degree, because tutoring requires skills that not everyone possesses. For younger students, if the tutor has a teaching degree, specialization in a particular subject isn’t necessary. For high school and beyond, look for a tutor with expertise in the subject your child needs help with.
Does the tutor have the right personality? First, a tutor should be patient, empathetic, positive, passionate, creative, and fun. These characteristics help ensure your child can learn from the tutor and will walk away with self-confidence. Also, the tutor’s personality should be a good fit for your child. It’s essential the tutor and your child connect with each other.
Is the tutor flexible? Each child has their own best learning style. It might be visual, aural, physical, verbal, logical, or any combination of these. Also, some kids are solitary learners, whereas others are social learners and enjoy learning in groups. Look for a setting and tutor that fits your kid’s style.
Does the tutor have excellent references? Online tutoring services often have reviews from previous clients. Look for those with overall high ratings and positive comments. But beware of reviews directly on the tutoring company’s website, since these often can be manipulated. If you find your tutor offline or find very few reviews, ask for several references. Still, the references a tutor provides might not be an entirely accurate depiction of their character and experience either. So, use due diligence for your child’s safety and to ensure your child receives quality service.
Neapolitan Family recommends
A+ Skills Tutoring. 239.254.9807. Aplusskillstutoring.com. One-to-one personalized tutoring. SAT/ACT prep, college applications and essays, all elementary/middle/high school subjects. Experienced tutors with BA/BS and MA/MS degrees.
A Top Grade Teaching & Tutoring. (239) 340-2464 | www.atopgrade.com
A Top Grade, founded by veteran educator Lisa Coto, offers personalized tutoring services in Naples, Florida. With over 40 years of experience, Lisa specializes in English Language Arts, Reading, Spanish, English as a Second Language (ESOL), Social Studies, and Special Education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade and beyond. Her customized approach includes test preparation for standardized assessments like the FAST, development of effective study skills, and academic coaching.
College Smart Start. Collegesmartstart.com.
We offer various levels of support, but all of our options are geared to making this process easier.
- Exactly what to do, when it needs to be done, and how to do it well: school selection, passion projects, college applications, essays, activities list, scholarship applications
- A holistic approach to each student, while still helping you make data-driven decisions
- The truth about merit and financial aid, and different ways to bring college financially within reach
- Access to planning tools, from a searchable database to brainstorming worksheets and proofreading processes
- Many levels include personalized goal-setting, extracurricular strategies, essay support, check-ins to keep you on track and meeting those deadlines, and a final application check before hitting “submit”.
JEI Learning Center. 239.922.6450. JEI aims to empower all children to become future leaders by fostering their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a nurturing educational environment. improve skills in programs for math, English, reading, and writing.
Seriously Addictive Mathematics. 888.313.4726. www.seriouslyaddictivemathfl.com. A Mathematics Learning Program from Singapore with a unique Mathematics curriculum designed for students from 4 to 12 years of age. Curriculum is primarily modeled after the Singapore Mathematics program.
Simply Michka, LLC. 239.784.154. Certified Math Teacher for grades 6th through 12th. A teacher in Collier County for almost 11 years, helping students achieve their math goals and become more confident in their math skills. Available for tutoring and homeschool support.
Sterk Educational Consulting. 239.910.7155. Dr. Amanda Sterk is a premier college educational consultant with over 20 years of experience in K-12 and higher education. She has counseled thousands of students and their parents through the high school-to-college process.
Tutoring for Struggling Readers. 330.620.6892. Tutoringstrugglingreaders.com. Reading, language arts, organizational skills for grades K-5. Elementary education teacher with 35 years experience.
Find more academic and tutoring resources in the CCPS Activities Guide.
This article originally ran in the November 2021 issue.