Advice About Private Tutoring

Updated on December 07, 2006
B.J. asks from Fort Worth, TX
6 answers

Has anyone ever hired a private tutor? I'm paying $40/hr. It's not just to catch someone up. It's more like starting from the beginng for someone who's not reading independently at nearly 10yrs old. It's taking over a complete reading program. Does that sound like a fair price? I'm not wanting to be cheap and I'm very thankful for this person. It's just that money is tight and I want to make sure it's reasonable.

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E.S.

answers from Dallas on

That's about right. When I did tutor, I charged $35-$45 for Spanish, but I know some teachers that charge over $50 an hour. Your getting a great deal.

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R.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter is home schooled too (since pre-K; she's almost 6).
We have paid for private tutors for things like Spanish, Piano, and Math. The going rate is usually $35- $45 per hour for tutoring. This can be quite expensive and some teachers like you to follow their curriculum from start to finish. A policy that can be frustrating and limiting in a home school environment because home school parents are generally used to setting aside a curriculum that has become frustrating in favor of attacking a problem with new unused methods (then returning to the curriculum once the problems have been solved). Most tutors are not so flexible and balk at trying something different (I recently had to let a tutor go for this reason).
But you also have to have faith and give it a try for at least 12 sessions before you decide their method's are not working. Then if the progress does not satisfy you discontinue the lessons. Then perhaps take a long break and give it a go again using a different tutor or method.
To keep costs in line our rule is never to have any more than one tutor at a time.
Also I have found with some "resistant" readers that it was the pressure to read that kept them from learning. Back off and don't bring the subject up for 2 or more weeks (you will have to get your spouse to back off as well). This is how my sister got her "resistant" 9 year old to read (it took a whole month with her). And sometimes the key to getting them to read is a different person to learn from, or simply finding something they are interested in reading (like computer games, favorite web sites, or books related to their favorite TV show or character). It does not have to take a complete curriculum to learn how to read.
Lastly and a little OT, a popular online service that I have found some home schoolers respond well to is Study Dog. It's geared toward those areas that most struggling readers have problems with. Punctuation, contractions, blends ect.
It is marketed toward struggling public school readers between the ages 8-12 but you can still get the free version here:
http://www.famlit.org/studydog/register.cfm
You will need to add supplemental reading with it. We read Dr. Susse and worked our way up to more challenging books.
If you register for Study Dog you can make up your own school name (I named mine after the street we live on).
It also takes registering 3-5 times before it will save your information. And Don't use Mozilla to register and download it. There is a glitch that won't allow you to download if you use Mozilla.
Keep Study Dog on a computer you never re-boot or turn off. If you re-boot you lose all the cookies that keep track of your child's progress.
If you decide to purchase Study Dog they will save your progress on their server so re-booting is not a problem. Though there is little difference from the free version and the paid version aside from the ability to order prizes and very poor customer service (another personal experience).
I hope this helps some, and good luck,
RPocai

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K.

answers from Dallas on

If your tutor is a certified teacher, you are getting a great deal!

Certified teachers often charge 60-75 per hour.

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R.N.

answers from Dallas on

I tutored a first grader who couldn't read and I have an BA and an MEd degree. They only paid me 15 an hour plus expenses. I still think that was low, but 20-25 is the going rate. Maybe 30 if someone's really experienced and good.
R.

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P.F.

answers from Dallas on

We offer reading remediation lessons/tutoring at our school in Arlington (a private, Christian school). We have the full school program, a half-time program for those who want to homeschool the rest of the time, and after school tutoring in reading/spelling/dyslexia remediation. The tutoring fee at present is $30 an hour (a great bargain as all of our teachers have teaching degrees, plus additional training). Check out our website www.FlintAcademy.com
Sincerely,
Dr. P. Flint

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C.W.

answers from Dallas on

hi there B.,

ya, i hate to say it but that's about right for an experianced tutor. sylvan and other tutoring centers charge 35-40$ for one hour sessions. i do at home tutoring for third grade TAKS test students from my home (i am a former third grade teacher)and that is what i charged $30 an hour last year. it's sad that good tutoring is so expensive, as a teacher i often feel like the students who are in the most need for it can't afford it at all. most all school districts offer free tutoring after school, i know when i was teaching i stayed at least three days a week after school to tutor, not for the money (because we did not get paid for it) but because they were my kidos and i wnated them to succeed.

best of luck to ya,
C.

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