There is no one factor which decides which medium of tutoring a student or parent chooses. There are many factors to take into considerations, such as the effect on the rest of the family, safety, the student’s schedule, access to electronics/reliable internet, etc..
At Tudor Tutoring, we’ve put together a Pros and Cons list of both online and in-person tutoring types:
Online Pros:
- For packed or relaxed schedules
- Added benefit of learning to use an online learning management platform which is used in a lot of post-secondary institutions
- Students learn how to use video conferencing software earlier than is expected of them
- More convenient for the student, as they can be more relaxed/less preoccupied with their surroundings
- More convenient for the student’s family, as they can continue their everyday activities with less restrictions when the student has their lesson
- Though not recommended, the parents can occasionally sit-in on the lessons
- No commute time
- No strangers in your home
- Tutor and student do not need to be in the same geographic location
- Using an online whiteboard allows the student to always have access to a snapshot of the lesson
- More often than not, one-on-one tutoring
Online Cons:
- Technical difficulties can occur on both sides
- If working on specific assignments, need to have electronic copies to be able to share with the tutor
- Cannot pay with cash, need to pay via credit card, E-Transfer or another online method
- Certain subjects are difficult to teach online (music, art)
In-Person Pros:
- Potential to pay with cash
- Can be the answer for people who are unfamiliar with or do not have reliable access to certain types of technology
- Easier for certain subjects, like music
- No need to have electronic versions of their work/assignments
- Ability to build on student’s social skills
- For more relaxed schedules (in our experience)
- Can be potentially more interactive
- No chance of technical difficulties
- though student and tutor can be late at times
In-Person Cons:
- Stranger in your home/meeting your child in a library/coffee shop etc.
- Setting of lesson can be distracting if new to the student/loud
- Commute time (if not meeting in student’s home)
- Student and tutor need to be in the same general geographic area
- Can be an issue in more remote locations
- Less convenient for student’s family as they must avoid certain parts of the home and must keep the noise to a minimum
DID YOU KNOW?
Tudor Tutoring is an entirely online tutoring agency. This experience allows us to focus on tailoring the online classroom to the student’s needs.
In the end, it will be up to you whether you or your child are more comfortable with online or in-person tutoring. It is important to realize that there is no wrong option when it comes to choosing which type is best. Since everyone is different, what works for one person might not work for another and vice-versa. Whichever type of tutoring is chosen, certain aspects will stay the same: learning, working through academic difficulties and receiving help in a difficult subject area. If the student and the tutor “click”, the medium through which the lesson is delivered becomes entirely irrelevant.