Online Tutoring can be great…but be careful.

Online tutoring has its pluses and minuses.  It can be extremely effective for certain students, but like most technologies, its strength depends in large part on how it is used.

Our Los Angeles tutoring company provides both in-home and online tutoring, so I can speak to how effective online tutoring can be.  We have had a lot of success helping kids remotely, so it can be done.  It is very important, however, that you make sure that the tutor you hire is competent and can provide you with in-home support if needed.

–Make Sure Your Tutor is Competent with Online Tutoring–

At Fyrebrite.com, we will only provide online tutoring when we know that it can be effective.

If your student has been frustrated for some time or you believe they need a significant amount of help, then online tutoring is probably not the best option—at least for the bulk of the teaching.  In this case, one-on-one personalized tutoring, such as what is provided at Fyrebrite.com, is ideal.  At Fyrebrite, however, we always supplement our regular tutoring with online tutoring for when the student has a problem between sessions or needs help with homework.

If your student just needs occasional help with homework then online tutoring might be right for them.  It can provide quick and timely answers.  Further, technology has advanced to a point where you can have “face-to-face” exchanges using webcams.  PLEASE NOTE: Scanners are very important to online tutoring.  Your student needs to be able to scan their assignments in so that the tutor can view them.  If you don’t have a scanner, then online tutoring becomes less effective.

–Make Sure the Tutor Can Provide One-on-One Support–

There have been many situations where a student was being tutored online, and just wasn’t getting a concept.  In those cases, our tutors went to the students’ homes and helped them work through their issue.

Technology is not where it needs to be to provide the “connection” that face-to-face tutoring does.  Until it develops further, your child should have the support that in-person tutoring offers in case the online tutoring doesn’t work.

–How to Select the Best Online Tutor–

To select the best tutoring option, make sure whichever online tutoring provider you choose has the following capacity:

-  Make sure they use webcams.  (You should purchase one if you don’t already have a webcam.)  Your student should be able to see the tutor’s face to develop rapport as well as be able to show images of what they are working on.
-  Make sure they use scanners.  Scanners allow them to respond to your child’s written assignments.
-  Make sure they can supplement their online tutoring with in-person tutoring.
-  Make sure they have experience tutoring online.
-  Make sure you feel comfortable with the tutor they provide.
-  Make sure you control the situation and can periodically review progress.

–Conclusion–

Online tutoring has its place, and as technology improves, online tutoring will increasingly become a viable option.  But for now make sure you are very careful when selecting an online tutoring provider.

If you have any further questions, feel welcome to contact me by email at: info@fyrebrite.com.

Hope this helps.

Sean Markin

President
Fyrebrite Tutoring ( http://www.fyrebrite.com )
Every child is bright — WE CAN MAKE THEM FYREBRITE!