FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does it cost? The rate is $30 to $40 per one hour session. Credit/debit cards are welcome. There are no long term financial commitments. Student may cancel anytime with a 24-hour notice. We ask payment for 8 lessons in advance. Refunds are available for unused lessons, should the student discontinue for any reason. If the first lesson is unsatisfactory it is free.


Why not use a tutoring center like Sylvan? It is so important to choose the best learning environment for the individual student. As you are considering your options, keep in mind some of the differences between tutoring the various tutoring businesses. Tutoring centers such as Sylvan (and centers like Sylvan) use what they call a “prescriptive program”. Initially, they give each student a multiple choice test. For each question missed on this test, the student will repeat the concept numerous times using a series of drill and practice worksheets. He or she is then given a quiz on that skill. If the student doesn't pass the quiz, he or she will continue repeating worksheets until they do pass the quiz. These centers use lots of repeating in an attempt to “drill it into the student's head”. Such tutoring centers take a remedial approach. Most often a student will start the tutoring many grades below their current grade level. Using this approach, it may take quite some time for the grades at school to show improvement. Students at these centers will often work in groups of 3 with each student working on a different subject. The learning portion of the sessions in these types of centers often last only 50 minutes, so each student in the group receives on average less than 17 minutes of individual attention form the teacher. Some students may need this remedial type of approach. A good candidate for this type of prescriptive program may be a student who is simply unmotivated to keep pace with the class they are currently taking even with the support of a professional teacher working one to one with that student. We believe that such students are in the minority. Most students prefer to keep pace with the class they are currently taking with the help of a great teacher. We fill in the gaps for the student as we work to keep pace with class deadlines and help them to be conscious of issues dealing with their personal responsibility for their own education.


Is school credit available? Yes. High school and college credits are available in many subjects for an additional charge. School credits can be earned during the regular school year or during breaks.


Do you test my student? Testing and evaluations are done at the request of the parent. There are a few simple tests that can be taken at no charge. However, sometimes the best evaluation may come from a consultation with the student's classroom teacher. Students often behave differently at school than at home. For example, it may be very difficult for a particular student to stay focused in a classroom setting. This is a serious problem and may be the actual cause of friction at school for this individual. A problem of that nature is hard to diagnose with a simple paper and pencil test.


What if I'm interested in starting a tutoring business? We welcome your comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail. Please, no telephone inquiries regarding this matter at this time. We thank you for your understanding.


Does Home Tutoring, Inc. help home school students? Yes! Please call us for home school consulting.


How long will my student need tutoring? Depending on the needs of the individual, a student may take just a single lesson or may continue for a few years. Many students will take two or three one-hour lessons per week for several years. It stands to reason that the sooner a problem in school is recognized and solved, the better. Students are changeable and as students change, we can provide the right teacher, at the right moment for any particular academic hurdle during the student's entire education.


Does Home Tutoring, Inc. do SAT /ACT prep? Yes. Normally there are 8 one-hour lessons involved in SAT /ACT prep. Four of the lessons focus on the verbal reasoning portion of the test and another four lessons focus on preparing the student for the math portion of the exam. (One teacher works with the math portion of the test and often a different teacher is sent for the verbal portion) The cost of the 8 one-hour lessons is $280-$320. Lessons can be customized for individual needs. We can also help with many other standardized tests.


How do I know if my student needs tutoring? Usually, the first sign a student is struggling at school is when a report card arrives home. The grades may not be as high as the student and parent had hoped. By this time the student may have already begun to lose confidence in his or her ability and to lose self- esteem. Parents may even notice undesirable changes in the student's general behavior or attitude.  These may be signs the student could use some extra help with school.


Will the tutoring improve my student's grades at school? Tutoring is often the answer to better grades, better confidence and a greater sense of well being at school. Tutoring provides your student with the time and resources that many teachers, despite wonderful intentions, just do not have. Private tutoring can provide insights into the basic skills a student may have missed. A student is more likely to ask questions or to listen carefully to a concept being explained in a private lesson. Often, grades will improve quickly and dramatically.  The time it takes for these improvements to show up in a grade at school varies with each individual student.  Our teacher helps the student find workable test taking strategies.  We make every effort to see grades improve quickly. We also work on listening skills, study skills and various strategies the student might use between tutoring sessions. It is important to remember that it is much easier to keep up than to catch up.  Please call us as soon as you notice your student needs help.


Under what conditions will the tutor come out to our home for a lesson?
In most cases the teacher will be able to come directly to your home for the hour lesson. The lesson must be able to take place in a quiet atmosphere that is relatively free from disruptions. An adult must be at home during the lesson . In some cases it is preferable to meet at some other agreed upon location such as a local library.


How are the lessons conducted? In most cases our teachers are able to provide direct to your home service. The tutor will provide one full hour of one-to-one instruction. We generally use the same textbooks and materials that are being used in the classroom and work at the same pace as the classroom teacher, spending additional time on topics your student needs extra help mastering.


What kinds of teachers are available? The variety is endless. Some of us are full time teachers who may also tutor one or two students. Some are retired teachers. Some are raising young families. Some are new college graduates while others have had many years of experience. All have outstanding qualifications and are outstanding individuals. We select the best teacher for the individual student. The teachers in our group are delighted to have the opportunity to work with students in a one to one setting. Much can be accomplished working this way and teachers experience great satisfaction in seeing his or her student bloom.


How many days a week will my student attend a tutoring session? Most students attend one to four sessions per week, depending on individual needs. A student may start with two or three sessions per week until they are closer to grade level and then may take only one per week. It is not necessary to sign up for a minimum number of sessions


Are there any contracts to sign? There are no long term financial contracts.  Tutoring is provided on an as needed basis.  Students are not required to continue with lessons and may cancel at anytime if a 24 hour notice is given.  We do have an Instructional Agreement which requires parents and students to be responsible for the appointments they have set. We ask for payment for 8 lessons in advance. Unused lessons are refundable. An adult must be at home during the lesson.


What age groups do you work with? All ages from pre-K through college.


How long does it take before I can get a first lesson? It usually takes only a few days to have a first lesson. Sometimes we are available on even shorter notice.


How do I register my student for tutoring? You may call at any time to reserve a first session for your student.  We normally schedule lessons during the hours between 1:30 pm and 9:00 pm .  We choose a time that is convenient for an adult to be at home during the lesson. We make every effort to make the time of the lesson very convenient for you.