1 on 1 Tutoring vs Group Class: Which is Best for Your Child?
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If you’re looking into extracurricular tutoring for your child, there are generally two options: 1-on-1 tutoring or group tutoring classes. Both tutoring styles are proven to help address the learning needs of students, even to the extent of advancing them four to five months ahead in progress. Numbers like these suggest that the individual attention and care that students get in either tutoring setting are key in helping them build crucial learning skills and get ahead.
So, which one do you choose? And how do you know which one is best for your child? Both styles of private tutoring have their own advantages, so let's take a look at some factors that can help you make a choice when it comes to your child’s learning.
Understanding 1-on-1 Tutoring
The concept of one-on-one tutoring is considered to be one of the oldest teaching methods still in use. Research shows that tutoring, especially multiple sessions a week, can help students recover and catch up to where they need to be, no matter the subject. However, even just one session a week can help your child boost their skills and learning.
One reason for this is that a 1-on-1 tutor is able to put all of their attention and focus on just one student. Classroom teachers do their best to adapt to different learning styles and meet each student’s needs, but we know that classroom resources today are stretched to the max, and one teacher can only do so much in a classroom full of students. A personal tutor can give personalized attention to their student while testing out different methodologies to see what works best. Because of this personalized approach, private tutoring sessions give the student and tutor time to bond and cultivate a friendly, trusting relationship.
Exploring Group Classes
Group tutoring can also be an effective tool in helping your child make academic progress. The number of students in the group varies and can depend on the tutor’s preferences or the needs of the students in the group. Something interesting about this setup is that it can create a classroom atmosphere, similar to a school setting, but more relaxed and much more personalized. That’s the big advantage here when it comes to classroom vs. tutoring learning.
For this to work, the students should be at or around the same level. This ensures that the tutor can spend an equal amount of time with each student, but can address concepts and methodologies to everyone at once. Group tutoring can take place at home or in a tutoring center, but online tutoring services are also a popular option.
As you can imagine, small group tutoring is much more social than 1-on-1 personalized learning. This can encourage peer learning, stimulate a little healthy competition, and provide the opportunity for learners to try games or group activities.
Benefits of 1-on-1 Tutoring
One-on-one tutoring has several benefits for learners. As mentioned, this style of tutoring is highly personalized and adapted to the student’s needs and abilities. These factors are proven to bump up grades and help kids meet their individual learning goals.
Because of the close attention, tutors can closely assess their student’s progress while providing effective feedback and correction along the way. Additionally, this assessment allows the tutor to adjust the pace to the student’s needs, either slowing down to reinforce difficult concepts or speeding up to find more challenging material. This style of tutoring is good for students who have specific learning preferences or those who are looking to move at their own pace.
Since there is just one student and one teacher in this situation, scheduling can typically be quite flexible, especially when you consider online tutoring as an option. Tutors and students generally agree on a schedule when they start arranging tutoring sessions, but it’s usually nice for both parties to have a little bit of flexibility in case things pop up and the sessions need to be rearranged.
Advantages of Group Classes
For learners who are social butterflies, group types of tutoring may be more their speed. More reserved kids might find that having peers with whom they can work with can help give them a boost in confidence and motivation. This also means that there is less pressure to finish tasks independently. In this setting, students have the opportunity to collaborate and support each other during the learning process, which can help children build their peer socialization skills.
Group classes can also be more dynamic. While 1-on-1 tutors certainly have the option to play games or design dynamic activities for their students, there is more possibility to put these things in action in a group setting. Students can form teams, pairs, or small groups to have competitions, make presentations, or work on collaborative activities that inspire learning, fun, and even a little friendly competition. Working in this way can help students engage more in their learning, and they can even help others around them.
As an added bonus, group classes tend to be less expensive for parents since they can split the cost, resulting in a lower price per child.
Considerations for Choosing Tutoring Options
So now that you know a little bit about each style of tutoring, including the benefits and advantages of each one, it’s time to decide what works best for your child. Take a look at some factors, including your child’s learning style and personality. Also, determine their learning goals, as this could decide if they would benefit most from personalized attention or a social atmosphere. Lastly, you need to look into the cost of both tutoring options.
Alexander Tutoring has a team of professional online tutors who specialize in delivering high-impact 1-on-1 sessions in math and physics. Each tutor adapts their lessons to their students’ needs, style, and abilities, which allows students to get results and hit their learning goals. Reach out to us now to learn more and claim a risk-free assessment and trial lesson!
