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Texas ISD School Guide
Texas ISD School Guide







Articles for Teachers

Does Your Kindergartener Need Tutoring?
By:Heather Eagar

When you think of your little five- or six-year-old, you typically don't assume that their first day of kindergarten might eventually result in needing tutoring assistance. "The work is so easy," you think, only having your own knowledge of the coursework to use as a basis for comparison.

Of course, you probably can't remember that far back, but there was a time that you struggled to count and recite your ABCs. You had to learn what a cow looked like in a picture, what color was blue, and how to add and subtract. It's not so easy for your kindergartener. But if you notice your first-time student is struggling, how can you gauge whether taking the step of securing a tutoring service is a good route to take?

Talk to Your Child

Of course, your kindergartener is not going to tell you outright that he needs a tutor's assistance. But there may be some signs that can alert you to this need. For instance, your child may express extreme disinterest in reading, writing letters, or working with numbers. Many children at this age find school exciting because it involves coloring and songs. So if your child is withdrawing from this experience, it's time to ask questions.

You may start be expressing your concern that he doesn't appear to be comfortable with a particular aspect of what he is learning. You may ask if he is comfortable with the teacher. Also, you may want to inquire about specific subjects that you observe are causing problems. Ask your child how he feels about those subjects. If he explains that he doesn't like them, you may want to consider taking the next step, which is talking to the teacher to see if there are any resolutions available at the school itself.

Ask the Teacher

Hopefully your kindergartener's teacher will be very hands-on with your child and know of his strengths and weaknesses before you even come in to meet. When you visit with the teacher, it's good to express your concerns, such as noticing your child is withdrawing during homework time. If your child has mentioned a dislike of the teacher, this can also be addressed. Your job during the meeting is to get to the bottom of the issue. And if it seems that you can't resolve it with the teacher alone, then you may want to consider getting a tutor involved.

What to Look for in a Tutor

You'd be surprised to know that there are tutoring services for kindergarteners both online and in-person. Many online tutoring services have chatting capabilities that allow them to work one-on-one with your child, just as if it were an in-person session. Whether online or off, you and your child want to work with a qualified kindergarten tutor who understands strategies such as reading aloud to help with listening skills, talking and writing with the child, and ensuring he understands basics like counting and ABCs.

Since you know that it is possible for your kindergartener to need tutoring, your next step is to determine whether this is best. By talking with your child and the teacher, you can gauge more specifically whether this is a good route to take.

TutorsAnywhere.com is a complete online resource that compares tutoring services and products offered by top online companies. If you need to find a tutor for your child, find the best solution for your family at http://www.tutorsanywhere.com/.


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