5 Ways a Science Tutor Can Help Your Child

Many parents mistakenly think that a science tutor is synonymous with someone their child's age or a year or two older who happens to study a bit more. While there are probably high school kids out there who call themselves tutors and do little more than help their charges read their books, this has nothing to do with professional tutoring. If you're going to pay to get your child extra attention and education, you should make sure you're getting what you're paying for. A child in school today can't afford to fall behind, especially in one of the most important subjects. Here are some ways a good after-hours educator will help your child.

Teaching by Example

It is a science tutor's responsibility to not simply teach to a test, but to spark an excitement about the subject in their students. The subject, at its root, is all about exploration and curiosity about the world. This can get lost in a book filled with facts and tired experiments, but a good teacher will make sure that spark stays alive.

Go Beyond the Book

A good science tutor will be able to go beyond whatever book the child is learning with in school. There is potential for learning in every room, in every house, in every yard, and in every neighborhood. Once a child sees that the subject of observation and questioning isn't limited to what's in the book, they may find it much easier to relate.

Look Around

A small child won't need to be told to look around and be curious about their surroundings. Once a child reaches his or her teen years, it may be difficult to interest them in anything but video games, music, and TV. A good science tutor will work to open their eyes back up, hopefully inspiring them to reclaim some of that childhood observation.

Questions, Questions, Questions

People learn best when they are encouraged to ask questions about the subject at hand. A student may be nervous about speaking up in class, especially if they have a teacher who will shame them if the question is deemed "bad". This is a particular danger if your child has a tendency to disrupt with nonsense. A good science tutor will encourage them to lay their fears aside and ask questions whenever necessary.

Encouragement

A student between the ages of 13 and 18 will not be used to being taken seriously by an educator. Teachers in today's schools (and perhaps it has always been this way to some degree) act as much as disciplinarians and babysitters as they do educators. If a science tutor can instill confidence in a student by taking him seriously, much of the battle will have been won.