Education has changed hugely since conventional schooling practices began. The one-room school has evolved into multi-room premises; chalkboards have made way for whiteboards; textbooks are now complemented by iPads. Tutoring, too, has (necessarily) had to adapt: some tech-savvy children are more comfortable with interactions through a device than face to face; and for some parents, finding a convenient time and place to meet with a tutor – when juggling many other commitments – can prove difficult.
There are many reasons that you might wish to enlist a tutor: perhaps there’s a specific school or university you wish your son or daughter to get into; or perhaps the size of the classes at your child’s school means that they are not getting the attention they require. The next thing to decide is what form of tutoring your child might be best suited to: we offer online and in-person tutoring to ensure that we can meet the needs of every child and parent, and there are pros and cons to both. Here are ten reasons to consider online tutoring for your child.
Increased flexibility
It can be difficult for both parents and students to find enough time to fit in a tutoring session, let alone having to make trips to the tutor’s house. Even if the tutor is able to come to their student’s house, there’s still the question of finding a time that suits all involved. Online tutoring is much more flexible: there’s no travelling or time spent carving out a suitable space in which to meet. Instead, tutor and student can find a time that suits them – and then all they have to do is log on.
More choice
There are limits as to how far a student or tutor can reasonably travel to meet (even when within the same city, particularly if it’s a big place like London), so options may be restricted due to geographical necessity. Online tutoring widens the pool considerably, giving you access to every highly-qualified tutor on an agency’s books at just the click of a mouse.
From the comfort of your own home
Though most tutors are personable and skilled in setting children at ease, one-on-one, face-to-face tutoring can still prove daunting for some students. Being able to log on to a tutoring session from the comfort of their own home, from behind the perceived safety net of a computer, can set some students at ease – making it easier for them to engage with and enjoy their tutoring sessions.
The safety of your own home
As mentioned above, online tutoring provides an extra layer of comfort for some children – and that’s true for parents, too. Tutors from established agencies like London Home Tutors are experienced, exceptionally-skilled teachers who have been screened carefully before employment, but for some parents it’s especially helpful to know that their child is safe at home and that every second of the tutoring session can be recorded (and reviewed) if necessary.
More engaging
Today’s student has grown up with technology at their fingertips: with e-readers, smartphones, and laptops being used on a daily basis. Taking tutoring online – and using technology to support lessons – transforms the process into something a student is extremely comfortable with, and is likely to increase their enjoyment.
The benefits of technology
As mentioned above, online tutoring allows technology to be integrated more fully into lessons. Lessons can be recorded and played back by the student; documents can be uploaded and shared by both tutor and student simultaneously; and it’s even possible to make use of visual or interactive elements – like whiteboards or graphs – that may help visual learners take in information more readily, and which also provide an opportunity for the tutor and student to collaborate.
Easy to record
Taking notes during a face-to-face tutoring session isn’t always easy. For those who handwrite notes, there’s a danger that a page or book could be misplaced or that the notes might be illegible. Even a student who types notes on a laptop during the lesson might find it a struggle to keep up.
With online tutoring, the chats and lessons can simply be saved to a student’s hard drive – making it easy to return to the information at a later date.
Simplicity
Forget finding a quiet space in a home or office to meet in; forget lugging heavy books or dealing with reams of paper. To participate in an online tutoring session, all a student needs is a computer and connection to the internet. The simplicity of the process makes it easier for some students to engage: all they need do is log on and focus on the screen in front of them.
Continuity
The online set-up makes it easier for tutors and students to forge lasting relationships, which can be immensely helpful for scholastic success and monitoring progress. Even if a student moves (or indeed if a tutor moves) their lessons can continue without interruption or disruption to the learning process.