22
Apr
2015

Dyslexia Series: What Every Parent Must Know to Help Their Child Today – Part 2

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Finding a Tutor after The Diagnosis

 

You will need to hire a professionally trained tutor who has studied and completed a recognized Orton-Gillingham based Multisensory Program.

 

You are seeking a tutor to provide intense, therapeutic remediation for reading, spelling and writing… not a homework helper.

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My Search

 

In addition to basic coursework, many tutors hold different levels of certification with additional stringent requirements including supervised teaching sessions.

 

I followed conventional wisdom and was on a hot pursuit to find a highly educated tutor. After every doctor, every teacher, and every relative forbade and emphatically discouraged me from becoming my son’s in-house tutor, I acquiesced.

 

After interviewing only the tutors with the most initials of certification following their names and the most memberships to dyslexic associations…I chose the top one. The upper echelon in the dyslexic tutoring community.

But the process was opposite of what I expected. She had to choose ME. She was not the one being interviewed. I was.  I felt enormously lucky when I got the call.

 

Our Tutor

 

Let me be clear. Our tutor was more than qualified and certified.

She was professional but not passionate. Tutoring was not a life’s mission, but a career. There was an unspoken, but undeniable, dismissal every time I asked a question about the specifics of the program or the progress of my son.

 

My Decision

 

After spending a ton of money since therapeutic remediation is no fewer than 3 days and optimally 4-5 days per week, I remember that ‘Mama Eureka Moment’.

 

I drove my son home from tutoring and sat down with my husband, “I think I can be more effective for our son long-term. Can we swing the tuition if I get accepted into the program?” He readily agreed and supported me from Day One.

 

Your Decision

 

Should every mom run out and beg her way into a dyslexic training program? And slap down thousands of tuition dollars? Or drive an hour each way to class down in the city? Absolutely NOT.

 

But I know after prayer, soul-searching, and consultation with your spouse, you will fully know in your heart if this is a viable option for you and your child. For our family, it felt right from the get-go.

 

But on the other hand…if you know that being your child’s tutor is not an option for whatever reason – established career, no training program in your vicinity, too many family obligations, or lack of desire to do so… there are outstanding tutors specializing in dyslexia all over the country now. That was not the case when I was searching.

 

The Interview

 

After you have filtered out candidates and high-graded your finalists with face-to-face interviews, ask permission to contact at least 5 or more current and former students. This is imperative to get a good read on your candidate.

 

Here are some suggestions for the questions you might ask current and former parents:

 

Is the tutor enthusiastic and not routine?

 Does this tutor have a family member who is dyslexic?

 Does she follow the sequential scope and sequence – (syllabus) to maintain the program’s integrity and effectiveness?

If desired, will she keep parents informed on progress made?

 On infrequent occasion, does she allow parents to audit the sessions to become familiar with the curriculum?

 Have you seen progress in your child since tutoring began?

 Does she have a humble and servant’s spirit? (Just my personal requirement)

 

Last Thoughts

 

Whatever your decision is…

To Tutor….Or To Hire a Tutor

Be confident and content that you have exhausted all options and have made the best possible choice for your child.

 

Do not discount your ‘blink assessments’ or your gut feelings when interviewing potential tutors.

(If you’d like to read about blink-of-an-eye evaluations, I wrote articles on April 13 & 14.)

If your dyslexic child is in lower elementary, you may want to establish a solid foundation at home…so that your tutoring dollars are maximized.

(On March 31st, I wrote about tips for moms and dads of toddlers, but it might help your child as he/she begins formal tutoring.)

I wish you well on your search…both internally and externally.

_____

 

Tomorrow, I will be switching gears with a short (I promise) and lighthearted post.

 

I will return to my Dyslexia Series each and every week.