The pros (and cons!) of getting a private tutor

April 17, 2018

• Topical

The Sutton Trust estimated that in 2011, 23% of Key stage 3 students received some form of private tuition. With the growth of the tutoring industry in recent years, this number is likely to have increased. Many parents feel pressured to get their child a tutor because so many other children do- how else can your child compete? This is the wrong reason to get a private tutor. We’ve put together some pros and cons of having a tutor below.

Pro- Tutors work at your pace. If your child struggles with the speed of learning at school, tutors can revisit topics and make them clearer, working at a pace your child is comfortable with to ensure their full understanding. Additionally, because private tutors work with your child one-on-one, they can focus on the specific needs of your child.

Con- It can be difficult to find the right tutor for your child, who has the right qualifications, experience and personality to be effective. That’s why at Kings Tutors, we select only the best tutors, and hand select which tutor we pair your child with to try and find the best match.

Pro- It works! A study by Kurt VanLehn in 2011 found that tutoring helped move students up a grade and a half (from a low C to a solid B, for example) This is enough to help get your child into the university of their choice, or help them to achieve a solid grade in subjects they find difficult.

Con- Shouldn’t children overcome their own problems? Some say that children should learn how to deal with their problems themselves. At Kings Tutors, however, we believe that private tutors are there to help your child, not just give them all the information they need. Private tutors will teach your child appropriate time and work management skills as well as just the facts, enabling your child to succeed on their own.

Pro- A private tutor can teach your child what you can’t. If your child is taking the IB, but you did A-Levels then you may not be able to help them in the most effective way. This is where a private tutor comes in. Private tutors are specialists in their subjects and have a great deal of expertise regarding exam boards, so there is no-one better to help your child.

Con- Tutoring takes up valuable after-school time. Especially if you have to travel to sessions, tutoring can take up time that could otherwise be spent on extra-curricular activities. However, tutoring can also be flexible- at Kings Tutors, we offer online tuition over webcam. This enables you to arrange a session whenever and wherever is most suitable, and also minimises travelling time!

References

http://blog.tutorhub.com/2012/10/30/does-tutoring-work-if-so-why/