Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

How do you find a good math tutor?

Math home tutors are available for any age student, from elementary school to postgraduate studies. Rates will vary based on the tutor’s background, education and experience. To find a good math tutor, first determine your learning goals. Do you need help understanding and completing homework assignments? Are you preparing for the math portion of a standardized test? Next, read reviews from current and former students. Find someone with proven success helping students achieve their goals. If you want help on an ongoing basis, decide what your budget is and identify the tutors who fall within your range. Ask if there are additional fees for travel, as some home math tutors include travel costs in their rates and others charge extra. Ask about session length and the tutor’s teaching style, and whether they also offer online sessions or group sessions. Finally, schedule a single session with each of the math tutors you think are best to see who is the best fit.

What does a Spanish tutor do?

The goal of a Spanish tutor is to help students improve their Spanish reading, writing, comprehension, and conversation skills. The tutor’s approaches may vary, depending on whether the instruction is individual or a group class. Many Spanish tutors practice immersion — meaning they will speak only Spanish with their pupils. For students with little to no Spanish experience, the Spanish tutor may use a mix of Spanish and English to accustom their students to speaking the language.

A Spanish tutor can offer a wide range of services to their students. For students currently enrolled in a Spanish class through their middle school or high school, a Spanish tutor can help them with homework and language practice, as well as expanding their understanding of their current school curriculum. For adults, Spanish tutors will have different approaches based on that student’s need. Academics and those seeking high-level professional development for their career will often have more intensive and targeted lessons, drills, and interactive speaking tests. For adults who wish to learn conversational Spanish for fun or for travel, lessons may revolve around learning commonly used phrases and practicing speaking in relaxed settings.

How much do math tutors cost?

Math is a subject that’s challenging for many students. Fortunately, home math tutors can help students excel in math by working with them in focused one-on-one tutoring sessions. The cost for math tutors varies based on the type of math, the expertise and experience of the tutor, and geographic location. Pricing may range between $40 and $100 per hour, depending on the math subject. As a rule, the more complex the subject matter, the more the math tutor will charge for the lessons. The cost reflects the math tutor’s advanced studies and the work required for them to be able to teach on the subject. Frequency can also affect costs. Students can buy packages of lessons for a lower cost per session than buying individually. Nationally, the average hourly rate for a geometry home tutor is $50-$60. The national average rate for an algebra home tutor is $40-$50 per hour. For generalized math tutors, the national average ranges between $40 and $50 per hour. More intensive standardized test prep studies and math tutoring average $70-$100 per hour.

How much does home tutoring cost?

Investing in home tutoring is an investment in your child’s future. Home tutors work one on one with your child to address their challenge areas and provide room for intellectual growth that may not happen in a busy classroom. The cost of home tutors depends on multiple factors including where you live, the tutor’s background and education, the subject matter, and how often the tutor comes. Test prep home tutoring is typically more expensive than single-subject tutoring. Here are some examples of average tutoring costs:

National average cost for an algebra home tutor: $40-$50 per hour.
National average cost for a French home tutor: $30-$50 per hour.
National average cost for a geometry home tutor: $50-$60 per hour.
National average cost for a math home tutor: $40-$50 per hour.
National average cost for reading and writing home tutor: $40-$60 per hour.
National average cost for an SAT home tutor: $70 per hour.
National average cost for an ACT home tutor: $70-$100 per hour.

How much do Spanish tutors charge?

Nationally, the average cost for a Spanish tutor ranges from $30 to $40 per hour. The cost for a Spanish tutor can vary depending on whether you choose private instruction or group lessons. Geographic location can affect cost; tutors in expensive cities and pricier regions command higher rates than in rural areas and small towns. The experience and education of the Spanish tutor will also affect their rates. For adult education, many people learning Spanish choose to join a Spanish school with tutors who teach group classes and also offer private tutoring for students. Typically these schools charge a monthly tuition that gives students access to a set number of classes per week, with private tutoring available at an additional cost. One example of an average cost is a monthly tuition of $200, which includes five 90-minute group lessons per month. Monthly tuition can vary depending on the school and the teachers. Short-term workshops are also a way to learn Spanish. Students may work with a Spanish tutor and group of other students at their skill level for a short period of time. One example of an average price is $100 for an eight-week course, with one 60-minute group class per week.

Gina R.

Verified review

Kathy was outstsnding! She worked extremely well with my Italian 16 year old cousin, who was learning English. We highly recommend her, and we will certainly have her for future tutoring !

Geraldine G.

Sibyl is YOUR teacher! I have been trying to learn Spanish on and off over several years, and finally wanted to get serious. I have taken 3 classes so far with Sibyl and she's a great teacher who quickly adjusts to her students needs. Sibyl works with every level, I'm an advanced beginner and 90% of our class time is already in Spanish! If you want to improve or learn Spanish quickly( or slowly), meet with Sibyl for her affordable one on one classes, and great personality.

Renee D.

Oliver tutored me for my Statistics exam among other Math related courses. I struggled with math all of my academic life and Oliver was well aware of my fears and weaknesses with math in general. He was able to accommodate his teaching style to my needs. I would not have passed otherwise. Oliver is very kind, hard working, smart and reliable. I owe him a lot of credit for helping me get through my courses in math!

Julie B.

Thumbtack provides a sophisticated, efficient, and effective framework for tutoring. For us, this was a much better option than the large impersonal prep companies that are not flexible about crafting approaches for different kinds of students. I would recommend Bootstrap very highly and will continue to use them throughout the coming months. A great discovery!

Wendi R.

Mrs. Grasso has been fantastic to work with. My 8th grade son who Mrs. Grasso is tutoring in geometry says Mrs. Grasso is helpful, easy to talk to, and kind. As a parent I appreciate Mrs. Grasso’s kind nature and her ability to engage and teach. We live in another state so sessions are held via WizIQ which has been easy to use. We feel very lucky to have found Mrs. Grasso on Thumbtack!

Patricia H.

Samantha is tutoring my daughter in high school honors French. I like that she tailors her lessons to her ability, learning style and current school lessons. She is also warm and engaging. This has made such a comfortable learning environment. Samantha has been the right choice for us, but I can see her working very well with any age person who wants to to learn or brush up on their French.

Royce L.

The online tutoring works really well. At first I was hesitent, but my daughter took to it immediately. We had a traditional math tutor for her in middle school who would visit twice a week. Online is much more convenient. Professor Holton is a fabulous instructor. We couldn't be more pleased

Irene P.

The job was tutoring university statistics very late in the game (4 weeks prior to exam, if that). The tutor, Ken, was outstanding, giving as much time as was needed (a lot of time was needed) and beyond that bolstering spirits and showing belief in the student - which was invaluable. The student passed the course, which at no time seemed certain. Quantum Prep was upfront about the possibility of not passing, which was appreciated, and actually gave more incentive to go "full steam ahead" with intensive hours to achieve the goal. The Quantum Prep team was responsive to issues which cropped up, such as problems with the online textbook, and scheduling snafus as well. They gave periodic updates which were enormously appreciated. They will be my first call for all tutoring in the future.

Julie M.

My daughter exceeded her SAT goal and increased her score by 300 points working with Heather. After completing assigned work, Heather would review and provide instruction on any concepts/definitions/problems that were missed. The process that Heather utilizes provides practice and instills confidence, both of which were instrumental in my daughter's success. For one session, Heather tutored at my home. In passing, I witnessed her mastery of the material and wit. That's a nice combination when working with high school students.

Kimberly B.

Ihab is quite possibly the best math tutor I have ever had. He is enthusiastic, encouraging, and sharp. He is able to adjust his teaching style to fit the learning style of the student. His years of experience allow him to teach his students material in a way most tutors are unable to. 5 stars.

Gabriel K.

As a professional, Martin is always punctual and easy to reach; he always arrives before I do. He is tutoring me in college algerbra and his knowledge is vast. We often have to jump to other levels of math because I need refreshers in lots of basic areas that algebra is built upon. He is incredibly patient and I cannot recommend him enough. Also, he plays in a metal band, so don't expect some stiff and boring intellectual ;)

Rebecca O.

Rebecca Oscar: “Trevor is a very capable tutor who extended his expertise to my children in an organized and thoughtful fashion. The materials he uses to teach writing are strong and established classical methods and his patience and kindness creates a valuable learning environment. Trevor is an approachable educator who is supportive and offers feedback to both parent and child. I highly recommend Trevor for anyone looking to strengthen their child's academic performance."

Kathleen H.

I hired Darien to tutor my 14 year old son in geometry. Before meeting with my son, Darien took the time to discuss the chapter topics with me and was quickly able to prioritize the concepts that my son needed to be taught. Darien is an experienced teacher who has an in-depth knowledge of math so I felt very comfortable that all time spent would be valuable. Darien assessed my son’s ability and by reviewing his prework she was quickly able to direct her attention to areas that needed attention. I would recommend Darien as a math tutor because she has great experience with teaching and has a firm grasp of the concepts. Darien has spent years developing creative and new ways to teach math concepts and her passion for math and teaching are a huge asset for anyone who works with her.

Juan B.

Her work quality is exceptional, we hired this tutor to help my daughter with some issues she was having with geometry in the 10th grade and we were very happy with the help she provided my daughter's grades improved soon after the tutor stepped in to help, she was always on time despite having to take the subway to us. My daughter was very impressed with her tutoring style and appreciated all the efforts the tutor put into it. We highly recommend her and would hire her in the future if needed!

Jenn M.

Learning Spanish with Language Jazz, has been really great. She is really patient and a good teacher. Classes are mixture of exercises, pictures, words and songs which is wonderful to help remember a new language.

Edward M. P.

To Whom it may Concern, Anna has a very good experience. She was born in Russia and has a very good backing in the Russian language and the English language. In the 1990's she helped me through the translation of my work in Russian. Along the same lines, she helped translate the Russian documents that I retrieved from the KGB archives. I did all of the leg work of visiting the sites, archives, and locations in Russia (over 22 times) in which I visited locations that my relative was sent to in Russia in the 1920's. I had guides and interpreters in Russia to assist me. I have the desire to learn the language (Russian). It is a hard language. Anna has guided me through many lessons. I can read and translate a lot of the work in the lessons. I reviewed many document from the Archives in America, Russia, Finland. I met with additional people in Russia to uncover the story of my relative. I have met Anna's father and mother several times in Moscow. I met many other Russians and as they became familiar with my effort, they noted that I had been to more places in Russia then most Russians. Interesting, I was honored with a "Honorable Professor" certificate from the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences Section of Military History , culture and law for my work in 1999. they noted that I was the only American to receive the honor and only 47 Russians had received. I enjoyed talking with young children. They want to learn English, and I wanted to learn Russian. In one time, I was asked to talk to a class. Questions where directed to me and from me to the class. I did need an interpreter at the time. I could go on forever about my experiences. But, Anna would have me tell stories at the beginning of every class. I she would help me, correct me, and go on. Every class produced many new words. I had trouble remembering everything. But, little by little, I developed my Russian skills. I am still receiving lessons from Anna. I will admit that this is more about me then Anna. But, Anna is an excellent teacher of the Russian language (and French, Spanish, and Hebrew). She has been there In teaching me the language, the culture, and the many things about Russia. Sincerely, Edward M. Perdue email: perdue711@verizon.net Home Telephone: 1- 410-742-0480 Cell Phone: 1-443-754-1860 530 Riverside Drive Suite 202 Salisbury, Maryland, 21801, USA

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