How to choose a tutor: 8 questions to ask

You have decided your child needs a tutor. Now you have a list of options, a stack of websites, and not much way to compare them. Most tutoring brochures sound the same.

This post gives you eight questions to ask any tutor before you commit. The answers will tell you almost everything you need to know.

Why this matters

A good tutor changes the trajectory of a school year. A poor fit costs you money, time, and your child’s willingness to try the next one. The questions below filter for fit, not just credentials, because fit is what actually moves the needle.

Bring this list to a free consultation, a phone call, or a first session. Take 10 minutes. You will leave with a clear yes or a clear no.

Question 1: How will you assess where my child is right now?

A good tutor will not start teaching on day one. They will start by listening, watching, and probing.

What you want to hear:

• A free or low-cost initial assessment
• Specific tools or methods (a diagnostic, a sample lesson, a conversation with your child)
• A written summary of what they found

Walk-away signal: a tutor who quotes a price and a schedule before they have met your child.

Question 2: What is your experience with this specific subject and grade?

A tutor who is great with Grade 4 reading is not automatically great with Grade 11 chemistry. Specificity matters.

What you want to hear:

• Direct experience with the exact course, curriculum, or test (e.g., MCV4U, EQAO Grade 6, OSSLT)
• Examples of recent students at the same grade band
• Honesty about the edges of their expertise

Walk-away signal: vague claims like “I tutor all subjects, all grades.”

Question 3: How do you build a learning plan?

Anyone can offer “personalized” tutoring on a website. A real plan looks different than a marketing word.

What you want to hear:

• A concrete description of how the first three to four sessions will be structured
• A clear link between the assessment and the plan
• Built-in check-ins to adjust the plan over time

Walk-away signal: “We just work through whatever the homework is each week.” That is supervised homework, not tutoring.

Question 4: How will you communicate with me?

You are paying for the tutor, but you need to know what is happening. Communication is part of the service.

What you want to hear:

• Regular progress notes (weekly or every two to four weeks)
• A defined channel (email, text, parent portal)
• Clear policy on responding to your questions

Walk-away signal: “I usually just tell your child and they can tell you.” A 10-year-old will not tell you.

Question 5: What does a typical session look like?

Get the run of show. Knowing what an hour with your child actually contains tells you a lot.

What you want to hear:

• A clear arc: warm-up, main content, practice, wrap-up
• A balance between teaching new material and reviewing
• Some form of practice your child does between sessions

Walk-away signal: a vague answer, or “we just see what they need that day.”

Question 6: How do you keep my child engaged?

Engagement is the difference between a tutor your child looks forward to and one they avoid. Ask directly.

What you want to hear:

• Specific techniques (gamified review, choice of starting topic, real-world examples)
• An understanding that engagement strategies differ by age
• Comfort talking about confidence and motivation, not just content

Walk-away signal: any answer that treats engagement as an extra rather than the core skill.

Question 7: How do you use technology and AI?

This is a 2026 question. Skipping it is a mistake. Tools shape outcomes.

What you want to hear:

• A thoughtful answer about when AI helps (drafting practice questions, explaining a step in three different ways) and when it does not (replacing the tutor, doing the work)
• Familiarity with at least one AI tool
• A clear philosophy on student use of AI for homework

Walk-away signal: “We do not use technology” or “We just use ChatGPT for everything.” Both are red flags in opposite directions.

Question 8: What happens if it is not working?

Tutoring fits do not always click. The honest tutors plan for that.

What you want to hear:

• A check-in window (often four to six sessions) where you both step back and assess
• Willingness to switch tutors within the same group or center
• A clear refund or pause policy

Walk-away signal: pressure to commit to a long contract, or vague answers about what happens if you want out.

Bonus: ask your child too

Your child has good instincts. After the first session, ask three quick questions:

• Did the tutor explain things in a way that made sense?
• Did you feel rushed?
• Would you want to go back?

Two yeses out of three is a good sign. All three nos is a clear no.

When to call in support

Newton’s is built around exactly the answers above. We run small group tutoring in Brampton for JK to Grade 12, with a free 1-hour assessment, a written learning plan, parent check-ins, and capped groups of four to five students. We are AI-first, which means we use AI to make tutors more effective, not to replace them.

If you are evaluating tutors right now, bring these eight questions to your conversation with us. We will answer all eight, plainly, before you decide. Book a free assessment and we will introduce ourselves to your child and tell you what we see.