With a new school year underway, many parents are just catching their breath after all the back-to-school shopping. The last thing on our minds is the first report card! After the blissful days of summer, the best way to start the school year off on the right foot is by providing your child with preventative tutoring.

What is preventative tutoring?

Ideally, preventative tutoring begins in late August or early September, giving your child the support he/she needs right from the beginning of the school year. Whether your child has always struggled academically or scores at an average range, preventative tutoring allows your child to stay afloat with the curriculum from very early on in the school year. This results in an easier transition into the new school year or cycle, and prevents your child from falling behind. One hour of personalized tutoring per week can make a world of difference!

Benefits of preventative tutoring

Studies show that preventative tutoring benefits the student both in the short term and the long term. Say your child has always been average at Math. Over the summer period your child has experienced summer learning loss (as all students do when they don’t engage in regular academic activity during summer), which means that some loss in reading ability and Math skills have taken place. Not only is your child rusty on what he/she learned last year, but now new concepts are being taught and if any weaknesses remained from the previous year, it is very easy to fall behind.

A one-hour lesson per week can help your child reinforce notions being taught throughout the week at school, ensuring success in the short term. In the long term, benefits include higher academic performance throughout the school year, and better recall of notions taught thanks to the regular reinforcement of skills. What’s more, self-esteem is linked to academic success. A little extra effort goes a long way. Imagine avoiding all the stress before weekly quizzes and exams. Giving your child a weekly study/review lesson provides peace of mind for you and your child!

Should I really get started right away?

When getting your child on the right track to academic success, time really is of the essence. It might be tempting to wait for the first report card to “see how things are going”, but this could backfire. If your child has already begun to fall behind or experience difficulties with a certain subject by the first report card, it is more difficult to catch up the longer you wait. Every child has their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and in general it takes several weeks of regular tutoring in order to see some solid improvement. Avoid the first disappointing reporting card or crash studying before final exams, and get academic support right from the start!

Where should I go?

There are multiple approaches to tutoring and different options out there. For the best results, visit a professional tutoring center and see what they have to offer. A good tutoring center will start with an academic evaluation in order to assess your child’s specific needs and prepare a personalized program that will be at the right level and pace. A regular progress report provided by the tutoring center will keep you in touch with what your child is learning and how he/she is progressing. Contact between the tutoring center and your child’s daytime teacher is also recommended—in this way the expectations at school and at the tutoring center will be clear and more concrete goals can be set on both ends.

For more information on what preventative tutoring can do for your child, contact Centre Pédagogique La Renaissance at 450-937-2455. Visit the website at www.cprenaissance.com