Everybody has off days when they don’t perform their best on a test or major project. Getting a bad grade—even an F—once in a while doesn’t mean you need to rush to find a tutor. So when is it time to ask for help? Below are six signs that may indicate you need some extra assistance.
Slipping Grades
One bad grade doesn’t necessarily mean you’re starting a downward spiral. However, you will want to keep an eye on which way future grades go. If you’re struggling to get back to your ideal scores, especially when you’ve been putting in the effort with homework and studying, then it may be time to look for a tutor.
Asking for More Help
It’s completely normal to need things clarified every once in a while, whether that’s seeing a teacher after class, studying with your friends, or getting help from an adult at home. According to The Princeton Review (an online tutoring site), if you start needing more help than usual, and especially if your go-to aides are no longer able to answer your questions, then it’s probably a good idea to look into professional help.
Time Management Issues
If you find you’re putting off homework and projects, or you find yourself spending too much time on homework, that may be another sign you need help. Avoiding homework or fighting with your parents is your mind’s way of protecting you. Plus, when you take hours upon hours to complete one assignment, that’s a clear sign that you’re not quite grasping the material.
Increased Anxiety and Lack of Confidence
Once homework and tests start affecting your mood, it’s definitely time to ask for assistance. While some nervousness right before a big test is understandable, grades should never cause you too much anxiety. Worrying about each homework assignment is unhealthy too. This increase in stress can easily lead to a decrease in confidence, which only makes it that much harder to pull yourself out of your slump. Reaching out to a tutor can be just the thing to pull you back up. According to Parents’ online magazine, “when tutoring is successful, a child will become self-assured and have newfound confidence, which may lead to participation in the classroom.”
Hopelessness Overtakes You
When you continue to struggle on your own, you can reach a point where it all seems hopeless. You start to hate school and homework. You become unmotivated to try anymore. Asking for help may seem futile, and your brain will do everything in its power to keep you from reaching out. At this stage, though, it’s the best thing you can do. When you can’t see the point in anything, sometimes you need to hear it explained from a different perspective. Tutors are used to handling problems that seem insurmountable and putting them in easier to understand terms, and they will work one-on-one with you until you succeed.
Trust Your Gut
Above all else, just trust your gut. You know when it was just an off-day versus honestly not understanding the material. Then, you can tell when the workload’s starting to become too much. You can feel the anxiety and despair creeping in. You know what’s normal for you and what’s not. When things aren’t going like you think they should, reaching out to a tutor can only help.
Learn More About When to Hire a Tutor
The faculty and staff of The Tenney School is always here to help. If you or your student decide additional support is necessary, check out our new after-school tutoring program. Contact us today to find out more information.