How To Chose Your Maths Tutor

These days, your search for a maths tutor can leave you feeling somewhat overwhelmed and confused. There appear to be so many, and the prices vary so much. I say "appear" because, unlike your search for a plumber or electrician, the law offers you no protection in regard to a tutor`s qualifications or credentials. In the UK, any Tom, Dick or Harry can call themselves a tutor, and offer their services as such. Hopefully, this article will help you sort the wheat from the chaff.

The very first thing you need to consider is a tutor`s qualifications. A good maths tutor will have a degree in mathematics or a subject with a substantial maths content. By this I mean something like physics, chemistry or electrical engineering: you won`t get too far in these without having a fair amount of maths under your belt. Do be aware that in many scientific subjects, such as biology, you can often get by with very little mathematics. Just because some schools settle for biologists teaching maths doesn`t mean that you should!

You should also look for a teaching qualification. There can be a big difference between knowing one`s subject and being able to impart that knowledge to others. While a teaching qualification does not of itself make a good teacher, it at least guarantees that its holder has achieved some minimum level of proficiency in delivering their subject. In the UK the gold standard is the PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education).

It`s a lamentable fact that people often aren`t honest about their qualifications, so don`t be afraid to ask to see evidence of those your tutor claims to have. He should be willing to let you note their details, so that you can check them out, should you wish to do so. You should also note the institution that granted the qualification. Is it a bona fide university of high standard? In some countries universities offer degrees to students with extremely low levels of achievement. There are also institutions that will sell you a degree, with a nice certificate, without inconveniencing you with any studying or exams.

The next thing to consider when choosing a tutor is their experience. While one-on-one tutoring is a bit different from classroom teaching, you really should opt for someone who has a reasonable amount of solid classroom experience behind them. Such a person will have already taught many aspects of their subject numerous times, to a large number of students, with a range of abilities, and differing personalities. They will know which areas students usually have difficulties with, and will have developed strategies to help them overcome such difficulties.

Let`s now talk about money. No doubt you will come across a wide range of rates, and while the most expensive tutor may not be the best, you generally get what you pay for. Be careful when you see a cheap rate. We all like to think we`ve found that exceptional bargain, but it`s a bit like using an unlicensed cab: it can turn out to be a very bad decision! More often than not, cheap tutors have neither the qualifications or experience, even if they say they do. You might get a slightly cheaper rate, with proper teachers, at some of the more established tuition centres. However, you then share a tutor with several other students, so one-on-one tuition, tailored to your individual needs, is invariably much better value for money.

Another thing worth giving some consideration to is where the tutoring will take place. Some people base their decision on whether the tutor will come to them. This is very short sighted, and may mean that they end up only being able to choose from among the less talented ones. There are several reasons for this. The first goes back to the issue of money. Unless you are just around the corner, a tutor who travels to you may well be working for about half the rate you pay him, when his travelling time is taken into account. So he is one of those cheap tutors that you probably want to avoid. Also, a good tutor is likely to be a busy one, so he won`t have the time to waste on lots of travelling. Furthermore, learning at a tutors home should provide a quieter environment, and all of the tutor`s resources, which he couldn`t possibly cart around, will be immediately to hand.

Finally, a word of warning about references and testimonials. Unless they come from a highly reputable source, and are verifiable, don`t put too much faith in them. It is not unknown for some so-called tutors to fabricate these, or get relatives and friends to write them.

There are probably other concerns you might have that I haven`t addressed, but I hope that this brief article has covered the main issues, and helps you find the maths tutor who is best for you.