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What To Look For In A Statistics Tutor - The Qualities, The Skills, What To Avoid, And What To Expect

Find out the skills and experience you want (and don’t want!) in a statistics tutor. Also learn what to expect when finding a statistics tutor with Learner.
Statistics
4 minutes
What To Look For In A Statistics Tutor - The Qualities, The Skills, What To Avoid, And What To Expect
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At a Glance:

  • What to Look for in a Statistics Tutor. An overview of how statistics tutors work with you, as well as the benefits you can expect from having one. 
  • The Character Traits to Look for in a Statistics Tutor. This includes the qualities, or soft skills, a professional needs to have in order to be effective as a statistics tutor. 
  • The Skills and Experience to Look for in a Statistics Tutor. This covers more of the hard skills and tangible evidence that a tutor is highly qualified as an expert math tutor. 
  • Red Flags to Look Out for When Considering a Statistics Tutor. In addition to the skills you want in a tutor, you also need to know what things to avoid when choosing a math tutor for your student. 
  • What to Expect When Working with an Online Statistics Tutor at Learner. All the steps in the process of beginning statistics tutoring with Learner. 

What To Look For In A Statistics Tutor

Statistics is a math subject that’s applicable to many industries, careers, and simple daily life. Sometimes it can be a tricky subject for high school and college students. This is where a tutor can be instrumental to your student’s success. Instead of learning with several other students of various learning styles in a classroom environment that can sometimes be distracting, you can learn with the help of a dedicated, experienced tutor who can customize their teaching to your unique learning style. A tutor can help you understand the gaps in a student’s current knowledge so they can build upon a stronger foundation of math concepts. They can also help you boost your test scores and grades, making rapid academic progression. 

In addition, having a tutor with specific expertise in statistics, rather than a general math teacher, can give you confidence that you have an expert by your side to assist you with all the basics of statistics, such as standard deviation, probability, and regression analysis. 

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the traits and qualifications to look for in a statistics tutor, the red flags to avoid, the questions to ask a potential tutor, and what to expect from the process. 

The Character Traits To Look For In A Statistics Tutor

Good statistics tutors will have certain characteristics that enable them to effectively teach students. 

Patient

Sometimes statistics tutoring sessions can be stressful, especially when a student is trying to master a difficult concept, studying for a test, or facing a lot of homework. A patient tutor will stay positive and calm as they explain things to your student in as many ways as they need to until it clicks. They’ll work at the student’s pace, adapting to their learning style and using relatable real-life examples. This patience and persistence is also a sign of the tutor’s confidence in their ability to help your student become successful. 

Flexible

Of course, no tutor will be able to respond 24/7. But you need to know that their schedule is somewhat flexible so that they can work around your student’s class schedules. You want to find a statistics tutor who is responsive and accessible. 

Friendly

Try to find a tutor who will connect with your child and be easy to talk to. With a comfortable learning environment, the student will know they can ask their tutor any questions they have. They will not be afraid to make mistakes, which means they’ll always have the courage to give something a try. 

Professional

A professional tutor will have a good reputation and be transparent in sharing their qualifications, reviews, references, or success stories from prior students. When they have a track record of helping students progress in math, you’ll know you can trust them. At Learner, we vet all our tutors for you, ensuring they are the most qualified professionals out there. 

Enthusiastic

When looking for a statistics tutor, make sure they’re not only knowledgeable about math, but genuinely enjoy the subject. This passion can be contagious, making it easier for them to share this love of math with their students, which, in turn, makes it easier to learn. 

Reliable

Find a tutor who respects your time, by starting and ending sessions on time and having a lesson prepared each time. Your student should be able to count on their tutor to give them the best learning experience possible. They should be keeping track of the student’s progress each time, and always follow through on promises. 

Reviews Of Learner Tutor Character Traits

“Colleen has been tutoring our daughter for her advanced IB level courses and the confidence and conceptual understanding she has gained is noticeable in a short amount of time. Colleen is prepared, thoughtful in her approach, and helps guide our daughter's learning and understanding instead of just telling her how to do things. This later part is what makes the biggest difference because Colleen does a great job of allowing my daughter to think on her own and use her mathematical reasoning to help her fully understand the concepts versus just memorizing. Colleen provides a safe space for my daughter to lean into her own mathematical thinking, take risks and make mistakes, but then helps her learn from those mistakes. As an educator myself, I believe this is one of the best qualities you can find in a tutor/teacher and one that is not easily taught, but rather a natural gift. Colleen has that and we will continue to use her as my daughter continues in her advanced courses through her high school career.” - Shawnna S. 

“Everything is going well. We really like Melissa and she’s very easy to work with. We always appreciate how flexible she is with scheduling.” - Julie

“My high school daughter’s math tutor John has been a godsend. He is flexible, friendly, and thoroughly professional. I have been impressed with his ability to use classroom materials and adapt to her needs. John has been an essential resource for test prep this year as her teacher has been ill and then away on leave.” - Olivia

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The Skills And Experience To Look For In A Statistics Tutor

When looking at potential tutors for statistics, in addition to character traits, you’ll also want to make sure they have the necessary skills and experience to provide excellent service. 

Knowledgeable About Math

Of course, if you’re hiring a math tutor, you’ll need to make sure they are knowledgeable about math. It’s helpful if they have some educational background in math, to give assurance that they are qualified to teach it. If you need help with a specific type of math, especially advanced statistics courses, look for a tutor who has specialized expertise in this subject. 

If you have a math expert as your tutor, not only will they be able to teach you foundational math concepts, but they’ll also be aware of and help you prepare for what will be required of you as you move forward in math. 

Tutoring Experience

At Learner, all our math tutors have plenty of experience. Hiring a tutor with prior experience teaching or tutoring math students is a must. If they’re experienced in their field, they’ll know how to work through the various struggles that different students face in math. They’ll have a good idea of how to adapt to unique learning styles and how to relate math concepts to the student in an understandable way. 

This leads to the next skill to look for in your statistics tutor…

Teaching Ability 

It’s not always enough to be knowledgeable in a subject. An expert tutor needs to know how to teach that subject to someone else who may be struggling in that area. This requires adaptability, so they can pick up on each student’s unique learning style and then adjust their teaching to match that. They need to be able to identify gaps in your student’s math understanding, so they can then fortify those weak spots to build a holistic perspective of math and how all its moving parts fit together. 

A good teacher is able to break down complex concepts or questions so that they become easy for the student to understand. They will also be able to present the student with relatable examples that correspond with real life and even with the student’s interests. 

A trial tutoring session is an excellent way to test out a potential tutor’s teaching capability. 

Understanding of Technology 

This is especially pertinent for an online statistics tutor. If they’re unsure of how to work the online tutoring system or are dealing with excessive technical difficulties, that may delay your progress. If you have a tutor who is technologically savvy, not only will your session go off without a hitch, but you’ll also have a tutor who knows how to share with you the vast math resources available online. 

Learner’s innovative learning platform includes a video chat feature and a virtual whiteboard so you can work on problems together with your statistics tutor. 

Demonstrated Results 

It’s definitely a good sign when you find a tutor with a reputation for helping students make measurable progress in math, including grades and test scores. This demonstrated success with tutoring can be shown through testimonials and reviews, or perhaps even through references from other parents. At Learner, all of our tutors have shown that they’ve had success through their prior tutoring experience. 

Reviews of Learner Tutor Skills and Experience

“My tutor (John M.) is super smart. Helpful and patient beyond words. I highly recommend John.” - Bee

“Our daughter’s tutor is friendly, responsive, flexible, and very easy to work with. She has improved her math grades considerably with his help. Highly recommend it.” - Simon B. 

“Learner.com has arranged for us an excellent fit for a math tutor, after listening to my concerns. The tutor was very patient, knowledgeable and has clearly clarified students’ doubts pertaining to specific questions on the topic.” - Shivani

“A very pleasing and tailored experience. My tutor, Andrew, is very knowledgeable, and helped me dive deeper into the subject.” - Aditya

Red Flags To Look Out For When Considering A Statistics Tutor

In your search for a statistics tutor, watch out for these red flags. 

No Certification or Education

If a potential tutor has no education in the subject they tutor, that’s a big red flag. Whether that’s a college degree in mathematics or a special tutoring certification, look for some sign that your tutor candidate has studied math extensively. 

No Experience

Brand new tutors who are high school or college students can be helpful with simpler math or a low budget. But if you’re looking for a tutor with knowledge of advanced math or a specialized area of expertise, such as statistics, you’ll need someone with plenty of math tutoring experience behind them. 

Can’t Adapt

You may find a tutor who seems to check all the boxes, but if they can’t adapt to various students’ learning styles, you might want to keep looking. A math classroom teacher has no choice but to teach the material to all students in the same way. But if you’re looking for extra one-on-one help, make sure the tutor knows how to teach the subject to your student in a way they’ll understand. 

Not Transparent 

If a tutor candidate isn’t willing to share reviews, testimonials, or references from other parents, that’s a definite red flag. Find someone who has plenty of evidence of prior success and is more than happy to share it with you. 

Won’t Allow a Trial Run 

Any good math tutor will provide the opportunity to have a trial tutoring session. This is essential to give you the chance to test out their tutoring services and make sure it’s a good fit before you commit. With Learner’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, you always get a trial session with your tutor before ever having to commit to them.  

Questions to Ask in a Potential Statistics Tutor

There are so many statistics tutors online, as well as many other math tutoring options out there. Asking potential statistics tutors these questions will help you sort through the noise. 

  • How much tutoring or teaching experience do you have?
  • Do you have any references or testimonials to share?
  • What are your qualifications? What is your educational background? Do you have any certifications?
  • What is your price per hour?
  • Do you have any specializations or preferred subject(s)?
  • Do you teach any other subjects, like chemistry, physics, or computer science?
  • Can I have a trial session before committing?
  • What is your teaching approach? How do you assess a student’s needs and learning style and adjust your teaching to meet that?
  • What is your schedule like?
  • What are your cancellation or refund policies? Do you provide make-up lessons when we miss a session?
  • Do you provide study materials?
  • How do you communicate with students and parents, and how often? How much involvement do you want from parents?

What To Expect When Working With An Online Statistics Tutor At Learner

So how do you get started? Here is the process of getting online statistics tutoring with Learner.

  1. Complete our 1-minute online assessment to help us understand your student’s tutoring needs.
  2. Have a 5-minute phone call with an Academic Advisor to help us match your child to the perfect statistics tutor.
  3. Schedule your first tutoring session within the next 72 hours. 
  4. Experience a quality tutoring session and make sure the services are a good fit.
  5. See a guaranteed boost in math grades in as little as 2 weeks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does tutoring help students with statistics?

Yes, especially in an advanced math subject like statistics, having a math tutor can be instrumental to a student’s understanding of the material and ultimately can help them perform well on tests and math class grades.

What makes a good tutor?

A good tutor is knowledgeable, experienced, adaptable to learning styles, patient, friendly, professional, and reliable, among other skills and characteristics. 

Is getting a tutor worth it?

Yes, especially in math, which can be a difficult subject for many students. Private tutors have been shown to have positive effects on academic grades. Our Learner tutors have the success stories and results to prove that they can create such positive outcomes for their students. 

Does tutoring increase grades?

Yes, tutoring has been shown to improve grades and test scores. At Learner, we even guarantee that you will see academic progress in as little as 2 weeks, including boosted grades in math class. 

Why is private tutoring good?

Unlike in a classroom, where the teacher has to focus on all students at once, private tutoring provides a setting in which a student can receive undivided, personal attention with no distractions. A private statistics tutor can take all the time they need to to answer questions and explain things in as many ways and as many times as you need to understand. 

What is the purpose of a tutor?

A tutor is someone who provides individual academic instruction. A tutor guides a student to understand the subject at hand and eventually become an independent learner.

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About the author:

Mike developed his passion for education as a math instructor at Penn State University. He expanded his educational experience launching and running an Executive Education business - training over 100,000 students per year. As the CEO of Learner, Mike focuses on accelerating learning and unleashing the potential of students. 

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