Are you wondering whether online tutoring or in-person tutoring is best for your child? If you’re a parent with a middle school or high school student, then your family has likely experienced online learning. Your child may have fallen behind during COVID-19. Or they may need help getting back into the rhythm of school. You may need a tutor, but you’re not sure about the pluses and minuses of in-person versus online support.
You might be asking yourself: “Is online tutoring as effective as in-person tutoring?” Perhaps you wonder, “Is it worth the investment?”
Equally, you might worry, “Is it safe to tutor in-person?” Or wonder, “Does my teen have the time to go to a tutoring center or meet with a tutor after practice?”
In reality, online tutoring is rarely best for elementary students. But it can be highly effective for students between 6th Grade and 12th Grade. In this article, we’ll explain when online tutoring is best. We’ll also explain when in-person tutoring is a better solution.
Finally, you can decide which type of tutoring is best for your child. Then, they can get the academic help they need. Read on to learn more.
When Online Tutoring Is Best
If your child needs academic help, online tutoring can be convenient and highly effective. Many families found online school frustrating and ineffective. Technical glitches, changing health guidelines and the lack of social interaction with teachers all impeded learning. You may be skeptical about any online learning. But one-on-one tutoring can be rewarding and convenient.
What you need is a tutor who knows how to keep a student engaged and motivated on a screen. You also need someone well versed in online learning platforms. Better yet, the ideal tutor can meet virtually according to your child’s busy schedule.
So when is your teen best suited for online academic tutoring?
Online Tutoring Is Perfect for a Busy Schedule
High school students have busy schedules, with many extra-curricular activities. They also have large amounts of homework for classes like AP Calculus, AP U.S. History, and AP English.
Time management is overwhelming and it’s hard to find time for tutoring.
Tutors at school are typically available during the school day or immediately after school. But students are busy with classes or extracurriculars at these times and may find scheduling impossible.
If your student goes to a tutoring center, that adds another layer of complication and potential inconvenience. They can only attend when it’s open, and they might also have a lengthy commute. Parents may have to drive, which further cuts into your free time.
Online tutoring is perfect for a busy schedule. Your child can schedule sessions later in the evening, at whatever time works for them. When working from the comfort of home, tutors have much more availability.
Additionally, students can often schedule online sessions with shorter notice. The student can also keep working with their tutor beyond their scheduled session time if they find they still have questions or need help with other subjects they didn’t anticipate in advance. A tutor who doesn’t need to commute to your home or a tutoring center can be very flexible.
This is perfect if they don’t know how long their Math or English homework is going to take, but hope they’ll have time for tutoring at the end of the night.
Virtual Tutors Offers Widest Range of Tutor Selection
When a student is working with an online tutor, they can choose the tutor who best suits their learning needs and personality. They are not limited by geography. It’s also easier to harmonize schedules with your perfect tutor.
At Tungsten Prep, we believe students learn best when they work with a tutor who can support them in multiple subjects. Further, the ideal tutor doesn’t just know the content. They have the right personality and approach to boost a student’s confidence, motivate them and make learning enjoyable. That’s why we put careful effort into hiring tutors with versatile subject matter expertise and diverse backgrounds. We also maintain an even balance of men and women who can tutor in all subjects — particularly the STEM fields. Many students learn best when they can relate personally to their tutor.
That care in student-tutor match distinguishes us from many of our competitors.
Whether your child is studying for the SAT/ACT, Biology, or AP World History, they can find the widest range of tutor selection with online tutoring.
You Can Get a Discount for Tutoring Online
Many tutoring companies have kept their in-person rates for online tutoring. At Tungsten Prep, we believe families should enjoy a discount if they save our tutor a commute to their house or an office.
Your child can get high-quality help in Calculus, Geometry, essay writing, and more at a lower price now. Learn more about our discounts for online tutoring.
Remote Support Eases Health Considerations
As students return to school and face potential exposure to COVID-19, many families are worried about their health.
If your family wants to minimize in-person contact, online tutoring is the best choice.
Whether your child is brushing up on Precalculus, or History, virtual coaching is an effective alternative to meeting with a tutor in person.
When In-Person Tutoring Is Best
Of course, online tutoring isn’t for everyone. There are certain situations when in-person tutoring is best. Let’s review them now so you can make an informed decision.
Online Fatigue
After more than a year of online school, some students are ready to put aside the computer and interact in person. Motivation is an important part of tutoring success. So if a student is skeptical about online tutoring or expresses a strong preference for an in-home tutor, then in-person tutoring is likely to be the best option.
Difficulty Concentrating Without a Tutor Physically Present
Students who struggle with attention issues may need an in-person tutor. Equally, student who easily loose motivation or become discouraged might also welcome that side-by-side support. An in-person tutor can encourage a student to get out of their seat for an energizing study break. They can refocus a wandering mind. Or they can help organize a backpack or hand write a to-do list.
Common Concerns About Online Tutoring
Whether your child needs to reinforce their writing, math, or study skills, you might have some concerns about them having online tutoring. In this section, we’ll address some of the most common concerns so you can make your decision.
Online School Has Not Been Successful
It’s likely your child has tackled some of their most challenging classes online in the past year. If you noticed their grades drop, or observed them loose ground in core math, reading and study skills, you may have concluded that online learning simply doesn’t work for your student. You may be right and an in-person tutor may be the best fit. But the good news is that online school and online tutoring are not one and the same.
In fact, experienced online tutors know how to create engaging and personalized programs of study. In fact, they can often address many of the deficiencies that made online school so challenging in the first place.
Read on to learn how an online tutor can anticipate your concerns and offer your student the very best educational experience.
Difficult to Track Progress with Online Learning
Parents might worry that it’s hard for them to track their child’s progress if the tutor doesn’t come to their home. However, good online tutors provide detailed session reports after each session. They also respond to parent’s emails or texts. In addition, the parent can sit in the room and observe the session.
Many parents will take a few minutes at the end of the session to chat with the tutor on screen. That rapport helps parents know the tutor and hear feedback on the session.
Additionally, at Tungsten Prep, our Parent Outreach Coordinator builds constructive relationships with parents. She is always available to discuss how to support their student’s academic goals.
We also know the importance of long-term goal-setting. We often work with parents to come up with a long-term learning plan and track student progress over two or more school years.
As a result, it’s actually possible for parents to take part in planning and tracking their child’s progress. Additionally, they’ll feel like they’re involved in their child’s education while also giving their teen the space to direct their own learning.
Technology Is Limiting
Another worry parents have is that technology may limit student-tutor collaboration. The good news is that online tutors have learned to adapt free and easy-to-use software to create an online environment that resembles in-person learning. For example, a tutor and student can use a document-sharing platform like Google Docs to edit an essay without being in the same room. Screen sharing enables a student to view work on a tutor’s computer.
Our tutors also use software that allows them to write a Math problem on the screen so a student can see their work. Equally, the student can use an iPad or phone to write out a math equation by hand so the tutor can review their work.
Whatever your child is studying, you can be assured that they can have as much collaboration and engagement through online tutoring as they would through in-person tutoring.
Not the Same Interpersonal Rapport
A parent might worry that a tutor and student can’t build the same interpersonal rapport online. But experienced tutors go above and beyond to make sure they connect with students. A great tutor understands students’ interests and motivations, regardless of whether they are in-person or online.
It’s fair to remember that students are digital natives and are perhaps more comfortable than their parents at building relationships with people they do not see regularly in-person.
Looking for a Tutor?
Now that you’ve learned about all the benefits of online versus in-person tutoring and we’ve addressed some worries you might have, you might be looking for a tutor.
At Tungsten Prep, we provide one-on-one academic tutoring and standardized test preparation services for middle school and high school students.
Our high-quality and individualized support can help your student meet their learning goals. To learn more about our services, check them out now.