What is the Best Way to Find a Tutor Online?
There has never been a shortage of individuals teaching others how to do something; however, finding reliable resources that match our specific learning styles are becoming harder to find. As technology increases, access expands. Now anyone with Internet capability can teach classes over computer software.
However, if students prefer face-to-face interaction, they must travel to meet their instructor.
Finding a Tutor Online
When searching for a qualified teacher there’s no substitute for experience and expertise, as well as references, reviews and recommendations. We recommend starting off your search with local providers – either within your area or nationwide.
The key word here being ‘locals’. Locally based teachers tend to understand the needs of their target student body and offer courses suited specifically towards meeting individualized goals. They often provide specialized services such as private lessons or customized study plans.
A second option you might consider would be local universities. These institutions offer accredited instruction, but not necessarily in subjects related to your current field of interest. Additionally they typically require prospective students to submit transcripts, test scores and any other relevant documents proving qualifications prior to enrollment, meaning less competition amongst applicants.
Finally, another method of sourcing instructors is through professional organizations that specialize in certain areas of education. Such groups might include schools specializing in music theory, language or physical sciences. They might organize events, publish magazines and newsletters and conduct conferences or conventions throughout the year. By joining, you’d receive notices of upcoming meetings and educational sessions related to your interests (for example, “Music Educators’ Association Conference”). You could join one organization per field – for instance, Music Education (MUSIC) or Language Arts (LANG).
The Pros and Cons of Online Tutoring
Online tutoring is becoming increasingly common among parents. However, while there are benefits to online learning, there’s still room for improvement. Here are our top three tips and tricks for selecting a quality tutor.
- Be sure you have the proper resources. There are plenty of websites and apps designed for online tutoring; however, only reputable companies offer the level of training necessary to ensure success.
- Get the right credentials. While the vast majority of tutors have college degrees, some don’t. So it’s important to be wary of any online tutors offering a degree without any proof of coursework or teaching skills.
- Look beyond the website. While it is possible to learn all you ever wanted to know about a subject from reading the text of a company’s website alone, you should always contact the company directly via telephone to verify that its teachers have the required knowledge and skill levels.
What to Look For in an Online Tutor
If you follow these guidelines, you won’t have trouble choosing a perfect tutor for your child!
In the end, having a solid relationship between student and teacher has been proven to improve academic scores. Having said that, there are other reasons to pick a professional over anyone else: convenience, experience, reputation, accessibility—you name it. Plus, once you hire a competent, trained individual, chances are high that a successful partnership will blossom.
Now let’s explore four of the biggest factors that separate amateur instructors from pros and help you decide whether to spend your tuition dollars online or elsewhere:
(Learn More About Quality vs. Quantity)
The number one reason students seek out tutors is lack of confidence. Without direction, even highly intelligent kids sometimes struggle with concepts that seem simple enough for others (like basic algebra). They simply haven’t learned the basics well enough yet themselves. An experienced instructor knows exactly the material he/she teaches. A young adult seeking assistance might benefit from a mentor, too. But as long as you feel confident in asking questions and being guided through each lesson, you’ll soon begin to build your own understanding of the fundamentals.
Another major plus for hiring online tutors: scheduling flexibility. Whether you’d rather study after hours or during your lunch break, choosing a qualified pro means never worrying about missing class again. Some schools require lessons to coincide with regular courses.
Lastly, you save money every time your kid completes his assignments faster, thanks to online tutors. A quality mentor will often give extra credit for advanced tests and projects—so you won’t have to waste valuable classroom time reciting facts when he’s capable of providing detailed instruction. On average, a qualified private tutor costs less than $50 per hour. But be aware that prices vary widely depending on the type of school and location. So shop around until you find a provider you trust. At minimum, your local public library offers free access to many textbooks and study guides. Just keep in mind that textbook materials tend to reflect standardized testing requirements—which isn’t necessarily the same as what children today actually read and comprehend.
What Makes a Good Online Tutor
Tutoring services come in many different shapes and sizes. There are plenty of companies offering low cost options, however what separates the companies that succeed from the ones that fail is having an expert that understands what it would mean to go beyond “knowing the answers” and truly helping their clients understand complex ideas.
We call ourselves experts at teaching our subjects due to our extensive background and certifications in education and psychology; however, it was only when we were forced to teach adults in college classes that we discovered just how challenging it can be for a student to grasp difficult concepts without support. That’s when we knew we had found out something quite remarkable – we now understood firsthand just how beneficial mentorship can be for students of any age!
What are some of the benefits of online tutoring?
There are a number of reasons why parents seek the help of an independent online tutor to teach their children. Some of the common ones include learning issues, lack of interest, school performance, poor test scores, etc… There is no shortage of reasons why parents seek the assistance of online tutors, and there are a variety of methods by which tutors come to be found online.
One method being used today by parents is searching local directories, social networks, blogs, forums, etc.. These resources allow users to search listings of tutors based upon location and skill level. These online directories can offer parents valuable insight as to whether tutoring services exist near their area, the availability of tutors, cost per session, the quality of service provided by a particular provider, and other useful information.
The key to finding the ideal tutor lies in knowing what kind of service and tutoring style works best for your situation. In order to narrow down the field of possible choices, you must think about what your goals are.
- Are you interested primarily in improving reading comprehension and writing abilities or do you have trouble with problem solving and math?
- Do you need help preparing for standardized exams or a college entrance exam?
- Is English your primary language?
If your answers to these questions differ, it will help you to determine the most appropriate tutor for helping you reach your goals. It may seem daunting to consider all the options at hand, however, the best choice often presents itself after considering the pros and cons associated with every candidate.
It’s important to count the cost of online tutoring!
Tutors are able to reach thousands of kids everyday, and there seems to always be another kid needing guidance with everything from Math homework assignments to essay writing assistance. With over 15 million Americans currently struggling with unemployment rates hovering near 10%, you might be wondering why you wouldn’t hire one yourself – especially since hiring a private tutor doesn’t require spending additional cash or time. But here’s why the job posting of “Online Tutor/Teacher” gets less attention than other openings (and what sets the top rated tutors apart):
- Most online tutors don’t charge extra fees for each lesson. They simply post ads on sites like Craiglist, Craigslist, Upwork, etc., asking individuals to contact them via phone calls, emails or text messages for individual sessions lasting approximately 30 minutes. This allows tutors to keep prices down and work around hours that won’t interfere with their own schedules.
- Many online tutors charge hourly rates similar to personal trainers — anywhere between $25-$55 per hour depending on location. However, if you compare the rates against traditional school tuition costs, it’s actually possible for an experienced teacher to earn significantly more than public schools offer (at least in California). Depending on your state, local taxes, average household income, and the number of credits needed to graduate within four years this could translate to an annual salary range of $30K+ annually.
- Although many families still struggle financially after being laid off from jobs and receiving reduced wages during the recession (not to mention that public schools often lack funds to adequately prepare future workers for careers), a recent report shows a strong correlation between increased earnings opportunities among unemployed young men compared to young women. According to research conducted by Gallup among 8th graders graduating from highschool last year, males made 50% more money overall than females did despite comparable levels and abilities. Even though this gender gap has been decreasing over the past few decades, today’s youth face a serious shortage of qualified applicants competing for positions requiring highly skilled labor. One major reason behind this disparity is that girls typically receive fewer vocational training courses and extracurricular activities (which include tutoring) during middle school and the summer months leading up to freshman year than boys.
How to Evaluate My Tutor’s Performance?
There are many different factors to evaluate when choosing an expert online tutor including personality traits. There are no age requirements either; older students of any age can benefit (especially those studying college level courses) as well! Some of the questions you may ask are:
- Does he provide examples and explanations for his lessons? He must clearly show examples of the concepts in order to properly explain them.
- Are his materials readily accessible throughout the course? If you click away mid-lesson due to other obligations you would lose half the class period.
- Is communication simple? Text or email responses are convenient ways to communicate with him. Avoid services that only allow voice calls unless there is absolutely nothing else available.
- How does his service rate? You don’t want to waste your money on something that isn’t going to give you results. Ask others about reviews if you’d prefer not to check directly.
- What payment options exist? Do you have credit cards available to pay upfront via PayPal or Venmo? Or maybe there are special offers for signing long term contracts.
- Does he accept references? Does he send previous students’ feedback? Can I call or e mail former clients myself? Be sure to request written proof of experience and references.
If you have specific concerns regarding a particular subject area, let me know! I’m happy to help you narrow it down even further to find your ideal match.
How to Hire a Good Online Tutor
As you begin searching for a tutor, keep a few criteria in mind when considering whether that individual has the skills needed to succeed in teaching your child. First off, you want to ensure the individual possesses knowledge relevant to the grade level of your student. Second, your chosen teacher must possess motivation to teach, enthusiasm for helping children improve their academic performance, and patience for assisting kids to grasp difficult material. Lastly, an ideal instructor should be flexible, willing to help accommodate scheduling conflicts and understand parents’ responsibilities.
These requirements may limit your selection somewhat, since qualified teachers tend to specialize and focus on specific areas of study — but in doing so, they typically offer the highest quality instruction possible. With a little effort and consideration, however, you shouldn’t face obstacles along the road toward successful learning experiences.
Our blog is written by industry professionals who specialize in various educational areas including test preparation & assessment, early childhood development, math & science curriculum design, reading comprehension techniques for English learners, as well as career prep tips and strategies. So whether it’s preparing for an exam, mastering new skills, passing an upcoming promotion, improving academic performance, learning a language, or even starting a business idea – we are here to provide guidance and advice for parents, teachers, coaches and mentors.