How to Know When an Eighth Grader Needs a Tutor

Having a son or daughter in eighth grade with a strong foundation in study skills formulates a positive learning experience for their high school years. As soon as the child starts to fall behind, parents need to step in and help their son or daughter by hiring a professional tutor. Here are steps that help you to know when to hire a tutor.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Get to know your child's teachers and counselor. Eighth graders have more than one teacher, and it's imperative that you meet them all and support their teaching skills. Talk with the counselor to let him or her know your expectations. Exchange phone numbers with them as well. Let the counselor know that you care about your child's education and want to help whenever it is needed.

2. Listen to what your child and his friends say about attending school. If they are critical of their teachers or school in general, no matter how righteous it seems, this means they are not learning or doing well in school. Meet with the child's counselor and see if tutoring is the answer.

3. Respond to teacher or counselor calls or letters stating that your daughter causes problems in school and disrupts the students in class. Be sure to get the specifics and details. Try to get some positive feedback as well. Show that you are concerned and are considering a tutor to get her grades up.

4. Notice what your child says about himself. Being critical of himself, saying things like "I'm dumb," "I am stupid," "I hate reading," or "I will never get this geometry" means he is not succeeding at his studies. Form a homework club with other mothers in any particular class in which he is having trouble. If this doesn't solve the situation, a tutor is needed.

5. Sit with your child while she does her homework. Look over the math work. Read your daughter's essays. If you see incomplete work or lack of drive to do the homework, or poor use of grammar, punctuation and penmanship, this is a red flag and the child needs help with a tutor.

Tips & Warnings

• Every child has natural abilities. A sound education enhances those natural abilities.
• If you give up on helping your son with his algebra homework, then you need to hire a professional who knows the subject better than both of you.
• Play a game with your child and his friends. Talk school up and promise them all a trip to a professional sports game or concert if they all get high scores on their finals.
• Don't try to justify your child's lack of interest in school. This is an indication of trouble. Act fast to remedy the situation.
• Observe your child's interest in schoolwork, homework and school activities in general. No interest or personal frustration means your child has lost interest in learning.

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