A good tutor changes a child's year. A wrong one wastes a term before you notice. These eight checks take one week and cost nothing.
Before the first meeting
1. Match the exact need
"Class 9 CBSE Mathematics" is a requirement. "Maths tutor" is not. A tutor excellent with Class 5 arithmetic may be weak at Class 10 trigonometry. Check that the tutor lists your child's exact class, subject and board.
2. Check verification, not just claims
Anyone can write "10 years experience". Look for what is verified: identity documents, qualification certificates, schools that confirmed the tutor taught there. On Vidyavo these show as badges that cannot be bought.
3. Read reviews for patterns
One bad review means little. The same complaint twice — irregular timing, phone use, rushing — is a pattern. Reviews on Vidyavo come only from parents who actually connected with the tutor.
At the first meeting
4. Ask them to teach, not talk
Ask for one topic your child recently struggled with, taught for fifteen minutes. Watch your child, not the tutor. Confusion that becomes a nod is the whole job.
5. Ask how they will measure progress
A serious tutor has an answer: weekly tests, error notebooks, syllabus tracking against the school's pace. "Don't worry, marks will improve" is not an answer.
6. Agree the schedule in writing
Days, time, duration, and what happens when a session is missed — by either side. Most tutor disputes are schedule disputes.
Before you pay
7. Know the local rate
Rates vary by class, subject and locality. Ask two or three tutors before agreeing. A rate far below market usually means an overbooked tutor or a beginner — both fine, if you know.
8. Start with a paid trial month
Not a free demo — one honestly paid month with a clear review at the end. Free demos select for salesmanship. A paid trial selects for teaching.
All tutor contact on Vidyavo is free for parents. No pass, no unlock fee — the checks above are the only cost.