For some, tutoring may be the answer

Angelique Flores

Another resource for helping at-risk students is a tutor.

For years, children have been using them, and school officials still

recommend them.

“Added focus and attention has had an impact,” said Lynn Bogart,

director of instruction and curriculum at the Huntington Beach City

School District.

The benefits of tutoring are the extra help and the one-on-one

attention, officials say.

The first question to answer is whether a child needs a tutor. Knowing

when to hire one is often left to the teacher, said Ocean View School

District Supt. James Tarwater.

However, when a child is identified as being at risk, that child needs

a tutor, Fountain Valley School District Supt. Marc Ecker recommends.

Some parents seek tutors for children who don’t need the help to stay

on track but who want them to excel, said Tammie Sherman, administrative

assistant and student advisor at the Bosphorous Education Center

When a parent decides to use a tutor, the next step is where to get

one. For some children, a group study session after school is sufficient.

For others, more personalized attention is necessary. Some students only

use tutors for extra study time before a test.

“It depends on the students and what they’re comfortable with,”

Sherman said.Ocean View School District has offered tutoring assistance

for years at no cost to students. Many of the district’s schools have

homework assistance labs where students can receive help from

teachers.Most schools in the districts have students or teachers who can

be hired for one-on-one tutoring.

Some parents prefer private tutors and other private educational

systems to help a child outside of school, Bogart said. Private

one-on-one tutors can cost up to $25 an hour, depending on where you go.

The schools in the Fountain Valley district have a list of outside

tutoring resources available to parents, district officials said.