There are several signs that will indicate to parents that your child needs a tutor. Edward Gordon, a tutoring consultant for the federal and state governments and author of  “Tutor Quest” gives these signs:

• Continued failing grades in school.
• Your child is constantly making excuses as to why he or she is not doing homework.
• The student is unhappy in school or having problems in general.
• The teacher sends notes home to you and you have to go to school because there is disruptive behavior, a pattern that goes on for at least a full school year.

To this list, I would add some warning signs which I hear repeatedly from my StudyPros clients:

• Grades were OK last semester or last year, but now there is a sudden plunge in the grades of one or two classes.
• Your child is transitioning, from elementary to junior high, or to high school, and they’ve never been particularly studious, or never had to work very hard. They may need tutoring to improve their overall organizational or study skills.
• The student begins the study of a new subject that is far removed from their previous experience, and feels lost. This happens frequently, for example, with geometry and chemistry.
• You home-school your child, and you begin to feel lost with certain subject material.

Gordon says there is no such thing as a lazy child. “That is a symptom. It’s a question of motivation or if the child is having a problem processing the information or if there is a problem at home, such as parents going through a divorce.” So if your child is falling behind, Gordon recommends getting a tutor to help him or her catch up. “The purpose of tutoring is to speed up the learning process, make up the skills the child has lost and get them back up to the instructional level so the teacher in the classroom can continue the learning process with the child,” he says.

Parents should keep in mind that subjects, math in particular, are taught cumulatively. That is, each lesson serves as a foundation for the next. In addition, learning often requires repetition, which takes time. In order to ensure that your child is prepared for testing throughout the year, tutoring at the first sign of trouble will be much more effective than waiting until just before finals.

If you think your child might benefit from tutoring, and you live in the Santa Clarita Valley, call StudyPros In-Home Tutoring for a free consultation.

This past spring, Newhall Elementary School conducted their annual Science Fair. I once again served as a judge for this exhibit, which has been lovingly organized for many years by teacher Ethel Carleton.

The students who presented to us seemed genuinely happy to participate in the fair. Some prepared elaborate displays with carefully kept journals, while others offered more basic exhibits. All projects were clearly created by the students with only minimal assistance from parents. The differences were mainly in the depth of the scientific questions posed and the degree to which each student pursued the scientific basis for the answers that were revealed in the process. Some students were obviously more curious than others, more willing to ask deeper questions.

Children are naturally inquisitive, but that tendency can be subdued or eliminated if we tell them not to ask questions or we don’t encourage them to think critically and formulate appropriate questions about the world around them. This lack of curiosity was demonstrated in their projects when a student would ask simple cause and effect questions (e.g., What happens to x when I do y?) instead of posing hypotheses that can be tested to reveal the reasoning behind the answer.

We hope you had time this summer to encourage that curiosity in your children, and that you continue to do so throughout the school year. Weekends and school holidays are good times to take your children to the Museum of Science and Industry, the Los Angeles Arboretum, the Getty Museum, the Aquarium of the Pacific, or just into your own backyard. Follow the guidebook, but ask your children questions about the exhibits. Talk about the historical context in which an artist produced their works. Watch an episode of Nova and do some additional research on the Internet. Take and test soil samples in your yard, then find out which plants would work best for your garden and why.

As I’ve written before, I believe our teachers, by and large, do a wonderful job in our classrooms; but they’re working to meet a barrage of requirements and testing deadlines and they simply don’t have the time to light a fire under every student. We parents need to spark their interest in learning and fan that desire until they become inspired and self-directed.

Diane is Education Director for StudyPros In-Home Tutoring in Santa Clarita, California.

I used to wonder aloud why we seem to be running faster and faster and barely keeping up with daily demands. Then a friend told me that her mother had the answer. We’re busy working to cover bills for services that our parents never had and managing  technology systems (computers, cell phones, blackberries, etc.) that weren’t available a generation ago. Our lives changed but we haven’t stopped to acknowledge the impact.

LIfe has changed at school as well. In order to meet state standards, teachers need to cover an expanding amount of information using textbooks that may lack detail and depth. In order to compete with students around the globe (without increasing school days, instructional hours, or financial investment), the curriculum is being driven down to lower grades. Our children are being asked to wrap their heads around concepts in algebra, geometry and sciences that we didn’t face until our freshman year in high school. Kindergarten is “the new first grade.” And now parents are looking to give their children a competitive edge for pre-school. I agree with child development specialists and educators who say that we are pushing kids to do things that are developmentally inappropriate and detrimental to the long-term well-being of our children.

Another change has occured in our schools that I believe has been equally damaging. In our quest for stronger academic performance, industrial arts classes have been reduced or eliminated. This pushes every student, regardless of their skills and abilities, onto an academic track, limits the student’s ability to explore career oppportunities, and sets up many kids for failure. Too many students are turned off of education because they don’t see the practical applications of their school lessons or because, despite their best efforts, they can’t compete with their classmates. These children need other options.

I recently spoke with Ron Rudzinski who is responsible for the Career Visions program in the Hart District. Ron is a strong advocate for a broadened approach to education and increased opportunities for hands-on learning. He told me that the Hart District and College of the Canyons have partnered to support state legislation that would increase vocational education. Developing new options would give students with practical talents the recognition and support they need to become productive citizens. It would also create a new generation of skilled craftsmen who are vital to our society.

At StudyPros In-Home Tutoring, we support a multifacited education system that respects and supports the unique qualities of every child. 

Now that our children are back at school, we need to stay actively involved in our children’s education and aware of their social lives.

“So what did you learn today?” is not enough, according to local junior high school counselor Bob Kerman. Ask your child specific questions. What book is he reading for English class? What is the plot? What period of history is she studying and who are the key figures? Studies have shown that children whose parents place a priority on education perform better in school.

Friendship issues are particularly important as kids get older. Get to know your child’s friends and classmates. Ask your child how those relationships are going. He may not volunteer much information, but the day will come when he will speak up and he’ll appreciate your interest in his life.

Students in the Hart District and some elementary students work with organizers they call “binder reminders,” into which they are supposed to write down their assignments. Review the binder reminder regularly with your child. Ask your child if they have recorded and turned in all written assignments. Review their homework.

Make contact with your child’s teachers. Help your junior high student learn to keep track of their progress by having her ask her teacher for regular updates. Follow up with your child and with the teacher as necessary.

Bob recommends we hold on to all graded papers, at least until the teacher says that the quarter is over. Teachers are only human and they may incorrectly record a grade. But if you’ve kept the papers, you’ll have proof when a correction is needed. I would also suggest that your child might need to refer back to prior work as they move through the school year, and if you decide to bring in a tutor, the tutor may find it helpful to review past work to get a better idea of how to help you child.

Consider enrolling your child in an after-school instructional program, especially if you aren’t available to help with homework. Some parents seem loathe to insist that their children participate, but we have to remind ourselves that we are the parents and we have to do what we believe is best for our children even when they can’t immediately see the benefit of our choices.

Diane is Education Director for StudyPros In-Home Tutoring in Santa Clarita, California.