A lot of parents ask us how often we recommend having a tutor. There’s no real answer to this, but there is certainly strength in repetition.

Why Schools Can’t Repeat

One of the main problems with teacher cut back and overstuffed classrooms is teachers don’t get the chance to really repeat a lesson with students. This becomes an even greater problem when teachers are trying to teach to national standardized tests. Often, these tests are so broad, teachers are forced to give only a cursory review of a concept before moving forward. The losers? Students.

The problem is expounded when schools fail to use the whole education approach to teaching. While it would be ideal for a history teacher to correct grammar on a paper, this rarely happens. Similarly, it would be great if students used their algebra knowledge in chemistry, but they often don’t. The solution? Repetition at home.

Why Repetition Works

The main reason a tutor should favor repetition is to look for patterns in the student’s learning, behavior and abilities. When a student misses one question about an appositive phrase, for example, was it just the one question, or does the student lack an understanding of appositives? Repetition is most effective during homework time when a student is actually working out a problem he or she previously learned instead of just following along. Unfortunately, you cannot count on a student to force repetition on himself or herself.
You don’t have to take our word for it: there is scientific proof that repetition works. Studies show it forms the connection of synapses in brain cells. Only once this connection is made strong will a student truly learn the information. It then becomes easy to apply in the future, no matter how long down the line, and the student will not even remember when or how he or she learned the information to begin with.
For example, do you remember learning the Pledge of Allegiance? Probably not, but can you say it? Most likely. We learned this short pledge by repeating it every single day in school. Even if you haven’t said it since you were in grade school, you can still likely call upon this deeply formed memory to repeat the Pledge later in life.
Meeting Regularly and Repeating Exercises
Because it is essential to repeat, it is essential for a tutor to meet with a student regularly. Some students and parents would like a tutor to come for just one hour a week to answer math questions. But without actually going through the practice of doing the exercises with a tutor at hand, the student may not get an accurate feel for where he or she is strong and where the student really needs more work. Ultimately, it is best to meet for at least 3 hours a week for any subject a student is truly struggling in. This can be tapered off once the concepts are better-formed. If your student can focus, try to set longer sessions instead of just meeting more often.