Helping your child with math tutoring or chemistry tutoring at the beginning of the school year isn't a bad idea. Anything a student can do to get ahead of class and really make sense of the teacher when school starts is great.
However, there are several important reasons why parents should be wary of starting tutoring early in the school year:
1. Direct tutoring, even online tutoring, can be very expensive.
2. Direct tutoring can backfire on a parent because once school starts some students come to rely on their tutors and don't learn to act independently.
3. Academic success is a process, not an outcome.
4. Successful students overcome barriers and empower themselves to problem solve, negotiate with teachers and succeed on their own.
Certainly it's better to do something than nothing, and you don't want to be one of those panicked parents who call us for help in February. We'd rather help your child right from the beginning.
Here's how it works:
Academic Ownership
At the A+ Club, our goal is for students to learn to learn on their own.
We aim to empower students and parents by engaging students in academic processes, including assignment and grades tracking, reflection, goal setting and problem solving.
At the A+ Club, we match students with an experienced classroom teacher who works with that student every week as both academic coach and academic mentor. These "student supporters" guide students towards positive decisions and choices and teach them how to interact effectively with classrooms, teachers, and their workflow.
Above all, we know that a positive, non-judgmental mentoring relationship is beneficial to all students. Guiding students in reflection and goal setting with positive feedback leads to better choices, higher confidence, and positive attitudes. (And research proves it: see this study: "Life in College Matters for Life After College," by the Gallup-Purdue Index.)
But Tutoring Might Just be Needed
We recognize that students can get stuck on a problem or project, may need some help studying for a quiz or an exam, and can benefit from additional instructional time from an experienced tutor or teacher in any subject.
That's why the A+ Club academic support program includes direct tutoring with our experienced and caring tutors. It's just not the first thing we do.
Tutoring should be a scaffold and a backstop to our overall goal of helping kids learn to learn on their own. But it needs to be there when it's most needed. We're there!
Academic Coaching & Mentoring: Effective and Affordable
At $135 per month, the A+ Club academic program delivers effective and affordable academic support. The program includes:
- Scheduled weekly "check in" reflection and goal setting conversations with an experienced teacher
- Two hours per month on-demand or scheduled direct tutoring
- On-demand essay review for grammatical correction and content improvement
- Daily assignment updates for students and parents
- Weekly grades and missing work lists for students and parents
- Additional teacher and tutoring time as needed (fees apply)
We can help!
Let us know your academic concerns for your child's academics, and we will be glad to offer you a free, no-obligations academic consultation to discuss some ways your child can improve scores and grades, build academic confidence, and become the student you know he or she can be.