Benefits of Tutoring – How Does A Tutor Help Students?

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Private tutors are becoming increasingly popular due to the disruption caused in schools over the last couple of years. Pupils have missed out on critical time in class and confidence and progression have suffered as a result.

However, these aren’t the only reasons you should consider a tutor for your child as there are many other benefits that have seen private tutoring as a go-to solution for many years.

A private tutor can be a fantastic resource in helping your child to catch up where needed, gain in confidence and master new concepts quicker than they would in a classroom setting. A tutor will go at your child’s pace, give them dedicated support and allow them to flourish as independent learners.

Having an online tutor can also eliminate the issue of needing to find somebody local as you can access the portal wherever you are in the country and is fast becoming the way to access this type of education.

What is tutoring?

Tutoring is the dedicated support for the education of an individual outside of their usual classroom. This can also be done as part of a small group where the needs of the children are of a similar level, but on the whole it is done on a one to one basis.

Sessions can happen in person, usually at your home but occasionally in a tutoring centre or other public space. Most recently though, many tutors will offer an online portal and so the sessions will be done remotely – removing the obstacle of having to be in the same place at the same time.

There are many ways in which you can use a tutoring service and it all depends on what your child needs at that point in time. Here are some examples:

• Homework help. Your child may struggle with homework, whether it be the subject matter itself or through lack of concentration. Having a dedicated tutor to sit and motivate your child can be of a real benefit. Plus, should they come up against a topic they find difficult, the tutor will be able to walk them through it step by step.
• Subject support. If there is a specific subject that they struggle with then a tutor can supplement their school education with target support for that subject.
• Exam preparation. Whether it is their SATs, the 11+, GCSE’s or other higher education exams, a qualified tutor can help prepare them by guiding them through revision and re-teach anything if necessary. Printable worksheets from Cazoom Maths can also support independent practice between sessions.
• Confidence building. There may not be one particular area that needs support, but rather an overall need to support the child as a whole. If they are someone who lacks confidence in their own abilities then a tutor can help give them that boost so that they feel more able to complete work independently when at school.

What about online courses with tutor support?

Traditional one-to-one tutoring isn’t the only way to benefit from the support of a tutor. Online courses can offer a more flexible approach, allowing learners to work independently and at their own pace while still having access to expert guidance when they need it.

For example, many online courses with NCC Home Learning include access to a personal tutor who can offer guidance, mark assignments and provide feedback throughout the course. This can give learners the flexibility associated with home learning without having to study entirely on their own.

This type of learning can be particularly useful for those who need to fit their studies around other commitments or simply prefer being able to work through course materials at a pace that suits them.

Does my child need a tutor?

There are many reasons parents might want to get a tutor for their child, these might include:

Poor concentration in large groups.

If your child struggles to maintain focus, then being in a large class will mean they don’t get the quiet and calm they need. This can result in reduced quality of learning and work produced. In contrast, a tutor’s entire focus is on your child and the learning environment will be as quiet as you make it, therefore any loss of focus can be recognised and resolved quickly with a change in approach.

Lack of progress in a subject

There can be many reasons for a lack of progress, some of which will be covered within this section separately. But sometimes it can simply be due to the fact that the child doesn’t understand the subject. Of course, teachers will put provisions in place to help groups of children that may be struggling, but with class sizes being around 30 children, there is a limit to the amount that can be done before a child ends up being left behind.

Lower than expected grades

If your child’s grades have been suffering for a while then there are many reasons that can contribute to this. Of course, you know your child best and will know if there is anything happening with them personally or with regard to their health.

If it is due to academic reasons then additional assistance from a tutor can have a positive effect on their understanding of subjects and help with their work when in class.

Exam stress

If your child is of an age where they will be sitting exams, this can often cause anxiety and distress. They may be absolutely fine academically but lack good study habits and the absolute self belief in their ability.

Absences

Of course there are many children who have missed critical time in school over the last few years, with some schools having less at-home provision than others. But there are many other reasons for extended absences and this may be a reason to turn to a tutor – to help your child catch up on missed work so that they can eventually be in alignment with their peers again.

Confidence issues

If you have noticed a difference in your child, perhaps an unwillingness to do homework or reluctance to go to school, it could well be that they are aware that they are struggling and would sooner avoid the subject than be seen as inadequate.

We all want out children to be happy, so talking to the school to see what measures they have in place and perhaps using a private tutor to help increase their knowledge and confidence will help turn the situation around. Online tutors such as No Nonsense Tutoring have experience with helping students boost their confidence and become more familiar with the content taught at school.

Some of the points may have been brought to your attention by the school, through parents meetings or discussions with teachers. But equally, your own judgement and discussion with your child might lead you to the decision to provide them with the extra support they need to boost confidence and help them reach their full potential.

Benefits of tutoring

There are many benefits to tutoring, as you will have seen above. But specifically they include:

One to one teaching.

With no other children to think about, the tutor is able to dedicate their full attention to your child. This makes them feel valued and supported and allows them to ask questions in a safe space, knowing they will get the help they need in their tutoring session.

Learn at their own pace

With a large class, classroom teachers have to move along at a pace that suits the main bulk of the students. In a private session, the lesson can go at the pace of the child and if they are not ready to move on from a particular sticking point then they don’t have to. The lessons don’t have to be planned in alignment with the government guidelines, they can be tailored to meet the exact needs of that one child.

Sometimes, all a child needs is to have a little extra time to be able to grasp a subject – time that is not always available in schools.

Individual learning styles

As well as working at the child’s own pace, the tutor can tailor each lesson to suit different learning styles too. Some children are visual learners and may need to have more opportunities to see things displayed in front of them while others may prefer to use their hands (Kinesthetic learning) to work through a subject. Math problems for example may require cubes to help a younger child solve addition sums.

Learning is always so personal but a school environment has to cater for the masses, leaving some learners feeling completely confused.

Fewer distractions

Your child may have academic potential but isn’t able to make progress because they lack focus. Being surrounded by children that trigger behaviour that prevents them from reaching their potential can be frustrating. By having a tutor in a one to one situation, you remove the distractions and allow your child to learn. So, when they are in school they are still able to keep up with the school work set by the teacher.

Independent learners

Whether it is due to a lack of confidence or through a lesser understanding of a subject, you will always find groups of children working with support in classrooms. If you ask them to work independently you will often find that they are simply unable to do so.

Improved subject comprehension

Working with a tutor can help target the specific areas that a child may struggle with. This will improve their skills, increase confidence and result in better grades and an improved attitude to learning throughout their academic career.

Personal growth

When a child struggles in a subject it can have a knock-on effect on their self esteem. They may not feel comfortable asking questions or appearing as though they aren’t good enough and it can limit their enjoyment of school as a whole. Working to build up a child’s confidence is key to helping them grow as individuals and having one to one support can really help in this aspect.

What age is best?

You can hire a tutor at any age and it all depends on your child, your personal circumstances and the level of need.

If you do not have much time to help your child with reading or spellings when they are younger then you might want to start as they begin their educational journey.

You may find that your child reaches a stumbling block at a certain stage in their learning and so may wish to bring in extra support at that point. This could be for a specific subject area or for something like the 11 plus exam. Once they are past the block you may not continue with the tutoring.

Your child may lack confidence and need extra support and reassurance to help them feel more at ease in class. In which case you may use tutoring as a longer term option to help them through each school year.

Tutoring is an option for students of all ages, from building a solid foundation for primary age students through to the complex concepts for high school students or college students.