Parent-teacher conferences can be a huge help for students and parents to be on the same page. But when grades aren’t quite what you’d hoped, it’s time to regroup and figure out how to help your student improve, not only grades, but also better understanding in weak subjects.
For education to have the best long-term benefits in engaging students as well as preparing them for college and employment, it is important to make sure the focus is on deep understanding, not only a grade. Tutoring is a fantastic option for reaching both goals and works in several ways.
Tutors can identify problem areas
When a student has a hard time with a subject or topic, it’s not easy for them to understand why it’s hard, which merely exacerbates the problem. Because tutors have specialty areas, they are expert enough to catch where students are getting lost and work with your student to correct course.
Tutors can help build confidence 
All students are capable of learning and success, but not all students learn the same way or have the same strengths as each other. Difficulty learning in certain areas can be worsened when discouragement sets in. But when working with a tutor, students can regain their confidence both with a boost in grades, and because tutors help students understand their own learning style.
One-on-one learning can be personalized
Teachers—even the best teachers—are limited by class size and time when it comes to giving students one-on-one attention. But when a tutor supplements in-class learning, he or she can identify students’ interests and use that to help learning. For example, if a student is struggling with understanding French verbs but loves playing sports, a tutor can help to teach verb conjugation with sports specific verbs. It piques the interest of the student, making it more fun, while helping him or her understand how French verbs work.
Tutors can correct poor study habits
Much of the time, poor study habits are as big a culprit in bad grades as struggling with understanding a subject. Tutoring allows for students to demonstrate their habits to someone who can help them improve. A tutor is an aid and support with specialized knowledge ready to help your student learn.
Tutoring aids in test prep
Whether for a standardized test like the ACT or a test at the end of the unit, some students just struggle with tests—even if they know and understand the material. Tutors can help students understand why that discrepancy might exist, practice test-taking, and teach students to study for long-term knowledge retention and good test scores.
Parent-teacher conferences don’t always go as planned and hoped for, but they can be a wake-up call for both students and parents that extra help is needed. Finding a tutor for your student is an excellent way to help him or her gain new ground in learning and understanding, thus paving the way for success in school for years to come.