Finding an
Academic Coach
Academic coaching often requires a considerable investment
of time, energy, and money. But just how do you find a good
coach? What should you look for? How do you recognize a top
professional private teacher?
Below are nine suggestions that will help you to avoid
common mistakes and maximize the odds that you’ll
make the right choice:
• Hire
an experienced career professional
In
academic coaching, as is the case within other professions,
you generally “get what you pay for.”
It’s usually well worth the extra money to hire a
career private teacher (look for at least 10 years
documented experience) who is well known and respected by
other educational professionals in your area and has a
strong local track record and reputation to protect.
Moonlighting classroom teachers, college students, tutors,
or other “part timers” that charge lower fees
but have another full-time salary to fall back on are more
likely to provide inferior instruction and be less
committed to your service and satisfaction.
Talk to teachers and administrators, organizations of local
professional private educators, and other coaches listed in
the phone book (look under “Tutoring”). Ask
them for the names of the best academic coaches in your
area. Teachers whose names keep coming up are likely to be
your best bets.
• Avoid
“tutoring agencies” or “learning
centers”
Tutors
who work through agencies or learning centers normally do
so because they’re inexperienced and unable to get
enough free referrals from satisfied clients to support
their own practice independently. (They would if they
could. Tutoring services generally charge lower rates to
begin with, and keep a large percentage of the fees
collected by tutors as their commission.)
• Look
for a business listing and Web site
Professional
academic coaches will generally list themselves in the
business section of the phone book. The more established
and successful ones often maintain their own Web sites,
blogs, and private business offices.
Beware of ads, however. The best private teachers get more
than enough clients through “word of mouth”
referrals, and generally don’t need to advertise.
• A
valid business license?
Professionals
will obey the laws governing businesses in their area; ask
to see a copy of a current business license.
• Ask
about membership in professional organizations
Serious professional private educators, like professionals
in other fields, maintain active memberships in various
professional organizations (e.g. the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics, Education Industry Association,
Association of Educational Therapists, etc.) to keep
abreast of cutting-edge trends and developments, create and
maintain business connections and resources, sharpen their
teaching skills, etc.
• Check
resume and references
Make
sure the resume indicates sufficient educational background
(bachelor’s degree or higher), many years of teaching
experience in the appropriate subject area(s), and serious
commitment to the field education. Get at least three
current references, and call to interview each one.
Excellent written references or testimonials documenting a
long and successful private practice should also be
available for your inspection.
• Set up
appointments with different coaches
The right personal “chemistry” between student
and teacher is essential to achieving superior results, and
this kind of natural, mutual affinity is best assessed in
person. It may be wise to consider trying out more than one
coach for an hour or two before making your final decision.
•
Examine marketing materials carefully
The
level of care with which any professional markets his or
her own business speaks volumes about the quality of work
and commitment to excellence you can expect. Look for a
complete, well-designed Web site, or ask for an
“information packet” that should contain, at
minimum, a cover letter, current resume, written
references, and a business card.
•
Conduct personal interviews
Set up a face-to-face interviews with each coach on your
"short list," and use this time to evaluate each
coach’s personality, teaching style, and general
level of professionalism, collect informational materials,
get answers to your questions, etc.
True professionals will be punctual, organized,
responsible, and business-like. Look for well organized
teaching materials and business records, and a clear
(preferably written) explanation of fees and of payment and
cancellation policies.
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By doing careful research, hiring a professional, checking
materials and references, and conducting personal
interviews with more than one candidate, you can find the
best academic coach for the job.
Copyright © 2006
Christopher R. Borland. All Rights Reserved.