In-Person Versus Online Tutoring: Does Online Tutoring Actually Work?

The first few times I did tutoring online were completely by chance: one student’s family moved away and she wanted to continue SAT tutoring. When I realized how well virtual tutoring worked (in some cases, even better than in-person tutoring), I decided to make the switch and work with all of my students online.

Over the years I’ve noticed that some parents are completely comfortable with the idea of virtual tutoring, while others many parents aren’t sure how it works. Having done both in-person and online tutoring for a number of years, I wanted to share how online tutoring works and discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

Check out this infographic for a comparison of virtual and in-person tutoring. Credit to Kristin Craig.

Online/Virtual Tutoring: How it Works

Online tutoring can be done using a number of different modalities and technologies, including one or more of the following: video call (FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook messenger video, etc.), online chat (text chatting, such as Gchat in Google, or Facebook messenger, etc.), email, online whiteboard applications, Google Documents, phone, text, photos, and many more.

I generally connect with students using Google Hangouts, which is a free video call function that allows for screen sharing. Anyone with a gmail account can use Hangouts, and there is even a Hangouts phone app.

Both during and between tutoring sessions, students and I may exchange photos of work and texts/emails with questions and explanations. Since Google Hangouts allows for screen sharing, if students are working on something on their computer (an essay, for example) they can share their screen with me so we can look at the work together. If we are using another video call application that doesn’t have screen sharing capabilities, students will just email me their documents.

For math (or science that involves equations and math operations), students will either send me photos of their work or email me documents if the work is available in digital form. We then talk through the steps and show each other on the camera (by writing on whiteboards or even notebooks with marker). We can also write in the Gchat chat box as needed.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Tutoring

Advantages:

• Convenience. All that’s needed is a computer or tablet with an internet connection.

• Efficiency. Student/tutor doesn’t spend time/resources getting to and from tutoring sessions.

• Students gain familiarity/expertise in working with technologies that are increasingly used in the workplace.

• Independence and ownership. Students are responsible for knowing what they need to work on and sending photos or links for any work to the tutor prior to the tutoring session.

• Students/tutor are connected in real time and use technology to share and edit documents, work through problems, and review steps in real time just as they would do in person.

• For math/science, students work independently while talking through their problem solving steps (instead of the tutor watching and intervening, as with in-person tutoring). Explaining/verbalizing their processes helps students become better problem solvers.

Disadvantages:

• Students and tutor may never meet in person. Some people may feel that the relationship is “less personal.”

• Some students who have major issues with organization may benefit more from in-person, hands on guidance to improve their organizational skills.

• Temporary internet or technology failures may require rescheduling of tutoring. (However, this can be compared to cancellations of in-person tutoring for illness, bad weather, transportation issues, or other causes.)

• Possibility of distraction. Just like in-person, in-home tutoring, parents need to set aside a quiet place for students to do virtual tutoring.

• Access to technology. Although many students have access to computers or tablets at home, lack of these resources makes virtual tutoring more difficult. (One solution is for students to stay after school and use their schools’ computer or technology labs for virtual tutoring.)

Please let me know your thoughts on virtual or in-person tutoring in the comments below!

How to Find the Right Tutor for Your Child

If you’ve decided that your child would benefit from tutoring, how do you go about finding a great tutor and making sure he/she is a good fit for your child? With so many companies and individuals offering tutoring services, it can be hard to know what will work best for your student. Word to the wise: tutoring is not a one size fits all scenario. It’s best to carefully think through what your child would benefit from and let that guide you in finding a great tutor.

First Step: Reflect

Here are a few questions to reflect on that will help you identify what you’re looking for in a tutor.

1. Does my kid need help in just one subject area or several? Would it be helpful to have a tutor who is experienced/knowledgeable with different subjects?

2. Does my kid have specific learning challenges that I’d like a tutor to be familiar with/sensitive to?

3. Is time/convenience/transportation an issue? Does my kid feel comfortable with and enjoy using a computer? Would virtual or in-person tutoring be a better fit?

4. Does my kid struggle with organization, remembering and meeting deadlines, and/or study habits and skills in general? Would it be helpful to have a tutor who is well versed in these common academic issues and able to propose solutions?

5. Does my kid lack confidence in a subject or school in general? Would it be beneficial to work with a tutor who understands these issues and can help my child build his/her academic confidence?

What Makes a Great Tutor: Look for These Qualities

With your child’s needs better defined, you can now identify potential tutors. A great tutor will have the following qualities:

• Experience tutoring, teaching, coaching, and/or working with kids

• Personable and easy to communicate with

• Expertise/experience with the subject matter

• A growth mentality (focused on improvement)

• Caring and invested in students’ progress

• A holistic approach that seeks to build study habits and academic confidence

How to Find a Great Fit for Your Kid

Individual vs Tutoring Company

While there are many companies that offer reasonably priced tutoring, both in person and online, from my experience I strongly recommend choosing a person, not a company that will assign one or possibly a revolving door of (often poorly paid) tutors to work with your kid.

As a former classroom teacher and longtime tutor, I’ve become familiar with the hiring practices and approaches of many tutoring companies, and I believe that parents are better off going with a well-qualified individual tutor who works with a handful of students than a company whose business model depends on having hundreds or thousands of students (and tutors) on its roster. Successful tutoring is highly personal: it starts with the rapport between your child and a caring tutor who’s invested in your child’s academic growth.

Subject Matter Expertise PLUS Teaching Ability

We all probably remember that one teacher who was a subject matter expert but whose explanations went right over our heads. There’s a huge difference between knowing a topic well and being able to break it down in a way your kid can understand and master. Having a background in education helps, but good teaching is both a science and an art. A great tutor can break down a complicated topic and effectively reteach it to your kid. A great tutor can also get right to the heart of your child’s academic challenges (Is it just difficult material or are there gaps in skills from previous years? Motivation/study habits issues?) and start addressing them.

Virtual vs In Person

I’ll discuss this topic more in a later post, but here is a helpful infographic to break down the differences between online and in person tutoring. Infographic courtesy of Kristin Craig.

Where to Look

You can start by asking around: ask your kid’s teachers or school administrators (note that some schools have a policy prohibiting tutor recommendations), ask other parents, ask neighbors, etc. You’ll probably get some great recommendations. If not (or in addition), you can look online on freelance sites like Upwork, Guru, Craigslist, etc.

It’s always best to meet with potential tutors face to face, or via video call (FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc.) prior to setting up tutoring. If that’s not possible, exchange emails, texts, or have a phone conversation to get a feel for their communication style and personality. Hire a tutor only after you feel comfortable that person is a good fit for your child.

Questions to Ask Potential Tutors

1. Do you work with students in-person at an office, in students’ homes, or online?

2. What subjects and grade levels are you comfortable with and experienced in tutoring?

3. Do you have a background in the field of education? Have you worked with (elementary, middle, high school) kids?

4. How would you describe your approach to tutoring? (Look for someone who has an individualized, holistic approach.)

5. If applicable: have you worked with students with special needs or learning challenges? (Not necessarily a deal breaker if the tutor seems open to learning about it and otherwise seems like a great fit.)

6. If applicable: do you work with kids on improving their organization or study habits and skills?

7. What are your payment and cancellation policies?

8. When or how often do you communicate with parents? (Look for someone who seems open to communicate with and involve parents as needed.)

9. Based on a detailed description of my child’s difficulties, how many days/hours of tutoring would you recommend per week? (This is of course ultimately your decision as a parent, but it’s helpful to hear what an experienced tutor recommends.)

If you found this article helpful, please feel free to share on social media and tag me in the post. Parents, please let me know if you have any other questions or would like to share any experiences in the comments below!

How to Know if Your Child Needs Tutoring

It’s sometimes hard for parents to know when it’s time to get outside help for their struggling student. Answer the questions below (taking your time to reflect honestly on your child’s academic situation) to see if your child may need tutoring.

1. Are your child’s grades in a class (or across all subjects) consistently lower than you believe his/her abilities and potential would suggest they should be?

2. Does your child feel upset or anxious about a class or about school in general?

3. Does your child verbalize or demonstrate that he/she believes statements such as: “I’m just not good at ____ [class, test taking, school in general].” “I’m not one of the smart kids.”?

4. Does your child often lose or forget to do homework assignments and/or generally lack organization and accountability for school work?

5. Is it difficult for you to help your child academically (due to difficulty of material, time constraints, conflict that arises when you try to help, etc.)?

6. Do you feel that your child would benefit from enrichment activities because he/she isn’t being challenged enough at school?

7. Does your child seem to lack motivation and/or the appropriate effort in a particular class or school in general?

8. Does your child seem to know the material but performs poorly on tests/quizzes?

9. Does your child have academic skill weaknesses or any diagnosed learning difficulty?*

10. Do you feel that your child would benefit from having someone outside your family provide academic support and guidance?

*For question 9, if your child has been diagnosed with one or more learning issues and is receiving adequate support at school, you can answer “no.”

If you answered “yes” to one or more of the questions above, your child may benefit from academic tutoring. The more “yes” responses, the greater the likelihood that tutoring would help your child.

In my experience as a tutor (primarily working with students in grades 6+), many parents report that their kids’ academic difficulties began in grades 3-6. Other tutors I’ve spoken with feel that grades 3-4 are when many academic weaknesses start to show up. If unaddressed, these weaknesses often continue to cause students to struggle throughout middle and high school.

I’ve come to believe that it’s best for kids to get help as soon as they begin to have difficulty (rather than taking a wait and see approach) in order to build proficiency and confidence with the skills they’ll need for higher grade levels. I’ve found this especially true for math, which builds upon previous skills with added complexity year after year.

In a separate article I’ll discuss what to look for in a tutor.