As an experienced tutor of both face-to-face (in home) learning and teaching online, I must stress the first advantage of online tutoring to both parties (teacher and learner) is convenience.
I have encountered several situations when parents feel a face-to-face learning experience would be best. I will battle through all weathers to arrive at the student’s house. Tired after a day’s work when I arrive, it can take some time to create the right working atmosphere and establish the student’s mood, attitude, health, and hear about the issues of the day.
Sometimes, due to busy family life, the student needs several minutes to either finish some food or find books we have gathered over time required to start the lesson.
The two of us will work together very well. Plans will be made for next time.
Parents are often charged a considerably larger amount of money for the face-to-face experience. I cannot help feeling that they are simply missing out on a learning experience that represents greater value for money, and with the right tutor, an arguably comparable learning experience for their child.
So why have so many lost faith so quickly in online learning for Primary children?
When online learning for the very youngest pupils among the schools boomed during the COVID lockdowns, schools were implementing what they considered to be temporary measures for online provision.
This experience of online learning has clearly aided negative thinking towards educating our youngest through online methods.
Those who were most interested in the success or failure of the big online challenge faced during the COVID crisis were such people as myself and other tutors at TuitionWorks.
The progress that has been made in such a short time in online materials, software packages tailored to student’s needs, quality of technology to help secure a captive audience have all contributed to supplementing online tutors’ new experience.
Personally, I now have over four years of experience and success of teaching online. For many of our focused young learners the online experience is a trusted pleasure.
For the online learner, top quality teaching comes without extra travel demands on both parties, a fresher teacher working from their home comfort, and access to masses of materials and teaching resources within seconds. The young learner does need a certain amount of monitoring at home during the class, but no more than when a face-to-face session is taking place.
As we approach a new year, is it time again for parents to seek out the very best online teachers to secure value-for-money-progress for their children’s education?
Andrew Hartshorn
Maths tutor at TuitionWorks
I have over twenty years’ experience of teaching both children and adults. I trained as a primary school teacher after a spending a number of years abroad teaching English as second language.
After qualifying with a PGCE in 2004, I attained my Masters Degree in Education. I believe in keeping my skills sharp and recently completed an online writing course with Harvard University.
