History tutoring: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What history tutoring is

History tutoring helps students understand events, sources and arguments, supporting essay writing, memorization and exam prep for a given era or course. Students and parents book it when a history course has a lot of dates and names, when a document analysis is due, or before an exam on a specific era.

Signs you need it

  • The student knows the dates but cannot explain why the events happened
  • Primary sources are hard to read, and the student does not know what to look for
  • Essay answers are a list of events with no argument
  • The student confuses causes, effects and turning points in the course's units
  • An exam is coming up on a specific era, and the student needs a plan to review the material

What the pro does

  • Checks the student's understanding of the main events and the order of the era
  • Teaches how to read a primary source, including who wrote it, when and for whom
  • Works on causes and effects, with a timeline the student builds themselves
  • Teaches how to build a historical argument from evidence, with a thesis and support
  • Gives practice questions and reviews the student's answers at the next session

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Length of each session and how many sessions are in a series
  • The level, such as middle school, high school, AP or college history
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • One-on-one tutoring versus a small group
  • How much exam prep versus essay writing each session needs
  • Whether the tutor works from the course's textbook or the sources the class uses

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number of sessions, session length and start date
  • Whether sessions are in person or online
  • Whether practice questions and essay review are included
  • Cancellation and make-up policy
  • Whether the tutor will share progress with a parent or the student's teacher

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you help a student understand causes and effects, not only the dates?
  • How do you teach a primary source so the student can use it in an essay?
  • What do you do to help with memorization without making it the whole focus?
  • Will you work from my child's textbook and the teacher's sources?
  • How do you help with essay structure and a clear argument?
  • If my child is under 18, have you passed a background check?
  • What should the student be able to explain about the era after the first month?

Red flags

  • Teaches only dates and names without the causes and effects
  • Writes the essay or the source analysis for the student
  • Promises a grade or a test score without reviewing the student's work
  • Presents one view of a contested historical question as the only view, with no evidence

What you can do yourself

A student can build a timeline from class notes, write a one-sentence cause for each major event, and summarize each primary source in two sentences. Ask the teacher for the study guide. Hire a tutor when the student cannot explain why events happened, when sources are too hard to analyze alone, or when an essay needs an argument from the start.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to tutor history privately. If the tutor works in a school or program, that program may have its own rules. Ask whether the tutor has teaching experience or a degree in history or a related field, and check with your state or local licensing agency only if the tutoring is part of a program with its own requirements.

History tutoring questions

Is memorizing dates enough for a history test?

Usually not. Many tests ask students to explain causes, compare events or use a source. A tutor can practice the explanation along with the dates.

How do I help my child read a primary source?

Ask who wrote it, when, and for whom. Then ask what the author wants the reader to believe. A tutor can practice this on one source at a time.

Does my child need a background check for a history tutor?

If the tutor works with a child, ask for proof of a background check before the first session. Many schools and programs require one.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer history tutoring remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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