When your child is struggling at school, it is an excruciating process for the whole family. It is then necessary to find a private mentor to help ease the child’s burden. And this practice is gaining popularity. Statistics have shown that private tutoring market in China is expected to grow by about 7% annually from 2018 to 2022.
On the other hand, hiring the suitable mentor has also become a problem – how do you find the right one? Although the price of hiring private mentors varies widely, it is still generally expensive. So choosing the right mentor for your child is a decision that requires careful consideration.
Questions to ask yourself before engaging a mentor
• Did anyone suggest you to get your child a private mentor?
Many parents start to find a mentor for their child after receiving such advice from the teachers, child psychologists, or other educational professionals who work closely with their children.
• Is there still room to reach his/her full academic potential?
Even if your child has excellent grades in school, he/she may still have room for improvement to climb up to the next level. He/she can still benefit from mentoring and improve if they have not reached their full academic potential.
• Is your child shy or unhappy at school?
If your child is shy, he/she may refrain from asking questions if there is any uncertainty. Sometimes, he/she lacks confidence or is shy at classroom group setting. Hiring a mentor can help explain and clarify concepts on a one-on-one manner.
• Did your child request for additional coaching?
Sometimes children themselves want extra personal coaching to enrich themselves. We often hear parents telling us that their child is extremely proactive in learning. When students take the initiative to ask for extra help, it shows that they have the motivation to succeed and will try their best to cooperate with the mentor to achieve the best results.
If you answer yes to either of the questions above, it may be time to engage a mentor for your child. Next, we will discuss important checklists for finding an accredited mentor.
Academic qualifications and experience of the mentor
Is the mentor qualified to be one? Has the mentor completed relevant degree and/or training course? Does the mentor ever had experience working with young adults/children?
The mentor’s positivity and enthusiasm are part of the pushing factor for a child’s learning curve. When a mentor is passionate about what he or she does, it is easier to motivate your child and making him/her excited about learning.
Selection process
There are many websites that provide mentor services. Often, feedback and comments from other parents can come in very helpful in the selection process.
If not, consulting a professional company is a good way to go! The quality of the mentors are usually screened and will not be lower than the standard criteria needed. Parents and students will not encounter a situation where the mentors have no teaching qualification or having insufficient experience.
Picking the right one through observation
The relationship between the mentor and the child is the key to success. Mentor and student need to build rapport with each other to establish a good working relationship. Parents should be aware of their child’s response during the mentoring session. However, parents need to realize that rapport requires time to develop.
Parents are also advised to check in with the mentor on the child’s progress. Although they don’t need to check in with the mentor every week, they should ask about the progress of the plan and understand the overall situation and keep the communication open.
Hiring a mentor requires cost, and finding a suitable one for your child is a process that takes time. Finding the right one ensure that qualified and skilled mentor can make the child feel supported, encouraged and confident so that student can exploit his/her full potential.
Modern days technology has make it easier to find expertise who specialize in certain subjects online. You can consider a mentorship project to find a professional mentor for your child. When comparing online platforms, consider the type of interaction you are looking for, as well as the different tools (video chat, messaging, whiteboard) that mentors and students can access to facilitate learning!
