Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can you guarantee that the student’s grade will improve?

No.  Tutoring is a gradual, incremental process.  Building confidence, filling in gaps in learning, sharpening basic skills, and acquiring test-taking skills all take time.

Students move at their own pace through their personal hurtles with math.  Some process very quickly, others more slowly.  Sometimes the internal processing becomes visible in the grade only after months of work.

May I stay for the tutoring session?

No.  Parents are discouraged from attending tutoring sessions because the time really belongs to the student.  The student is more relaxed when the parent is not present, and we get more work done.  However, you may stop in at the beginning or end of any session.

If your concern is safety, I can refer you to parents of students who have studied with me for 3 to 6 consecutive years who can reassure you that the learning environment is safe. 

How much do you charge?

$50.  My fee of $50 is in the middle range of private tutoring fees.

You are paying me for a considerable amount of experience both in teaching math and working with individuals and for a very comprehensive program which includes excellent, free study sheets.

Why is the session 45 minutes long instead of an hour?

I have experimented with the length of the session over 25 years of tutoring.  When I reduced the time from an hour to 45 minutes, the students were relieved.  An hour is a long time to maintain the intense focus that we work with throughout the session.  And sometimes we do run over the 45 minutes.

How often should my child come to tutoring?

Students with a grade of D or F in their math classes usually come twice a week.

Students with a grade of A, B, or C usually come once a week.

It’s your choice.  I have B+ students who come twice a week to maintain their grade.

Can my child attend tutoring every other week?

No.  Every other week is ineffective.  The energy of learning does not build up, there is no consistency, and a cancellation puts a month between sessions.  Very little is accomplished.