How To Identify The Best Online Teacher For Your Child

Right now, parents around the world are wondering how to best help their children achieve success academically in a year that has been anything but normal. If you’ve been wondering “How can I teach my child online?”, you’re not alone. Many parents are turning to online teachers for help, because let’s face it – your expertise likely doesn’t lie in deciphering Shakespeare’s sonnets or in understanding the frightening concept of “new math.”

Children come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities – and online teachers do too. The key is to find a tutor that fits your child’s unique needs, which may not be as difficult as you think. “But how do I find a tutor online for my child?”, you might be asking. Never fear: here are a few tips for how to identify the best online teacher for your child.

The Friendliness Factor
If you expect your child to benefit from their time with an online teacher, the simple truth is that your child must be comfortable with that teacher. That means that the tutor must be approachable, friendly, and relatable. Most importantly, they’ll be a good listener.

The best way to gauge whether your tutor has these qualities is to sit in on a session if you can. Also, talk with your child and let them share their feelings about their experience. You could find the best tutor in the world when it comes to grasping the subject matter, but if they can’t inspire your child to get excited about learning, no amount of expertise will really matter!
How do I know if my child needs a tutor? If either of you are struggling, then it may be time to look for one.

Good Energy
If you want your child to thrive with their online teacher, the teacher needs to bring good energy into each meeting. This will help them to establish a good relationship and create a positive overall experience for your child.

Remember, you’re likely searching for an online teacher because your child is struggling with a specific subject or issue in school. A tutor who is positive in their interactions with your child may help them to overcome any discouragement they feel about a subject or situation they find challenging. A good mood is a great motivation.

Flexibility
Being a teacher and tutor requires a lot of reinvention. An effective online teacher is someone who can adjust to the needs of their students, both academic and emotional. An online teacher achieves the best results when they can quickly adapt their teaching and communication style to their students. 

Working with someone online also requires a lot of flexibility in scheduling. Right now, it’s not a 9-to-5 world, and a good online teacher will have an understanding of that and adjust accordingly.

Expertise
You know the subject or subjects your child needs help in, so one of the biggest questions to answer about a potential online teacher is whether they have the expertise to teach it. 

Expertise in a certain subject often takes years of experience, both in studying and teaching. If the tutor in question possesses this, chances are they can make the material accessible to your child and fun to learn, because they have a passion for it that may be contagious. 
How do I find a good online tutor for my child? Start with a reputable website.

Excellent Communication Skills
At its core, teaching is all about communication. An effective online teacher is one who can convey subject matter in a way students understand. They are clear with how they explain things, use a lot of easy-to-understand examples, incorporate gestures and facial expressions to reinforce the concepts they’re teaching, and are meticulous about the subject matter. They must be able to help your child visualize problems, especially when it comes to concepts such as math. 

Grasp of Technology
It’s important to find someone who has a grasp of the technology they need to not only have online meetings with students, but also to help them teach. A firm grasp of online resources, interactive computer techniques, and video technology is essential to this type of tutoring. A teacher may be very gifted in person, but this has to be able to translate across the computer screen in order for your student to be successful.

Self-Discipline
A great online teacher is punctual, meets deadlines, and prepares good lesson plans. If they lack the self-discipline and planning required, it can impact their effectiveness with your online student. Address these issues from the get-go with any online teacher you may be considering for your child. Ask them how they plan their lessons for the day, the month, and even the quarter. Also ask if they consider themselves reliable and if they have the ability to meet deadlines they set for themselves as well as their students. 

Patience
As a parent, you’re well aware that children require patience – especially in the online learning space. Perhaps one of the things 2020 has taught parents everywhere is the value of patience in a good teacher, and that’s something you should make sure you cling to when looking for the best online teacher for your student. 

A great online teacher brings experience, and that experience should also bring plenty of patience along with it. After all, online teachers work with and meet a myriad of students, each with different abilities and backgrounds. Each person they work with will have different expectations, so patience is something you should always see in a great online teacher.

Ready to find your child the perfect tutor? There are many reputable companies out there that can provide you with a vetted online teacher for your student, including Teachers 1on1.