Find out what our tutors think.
COVID-19 has justified pushing most of the world’s education online, including private tutoring. There are a wide range of reactions from parents and students. Some parents have had a positive experience outside the classroom and are moving entirely to permanent home schooling. Other parents have complained that their children cannot sustain a personal mentor relationship via a computer screen and insist on face to face sessions. We thought we would ask our tutors for their perspective:
Gaby:
“Like many tutors, due to the pandemic, I have been forced to change the way I work. I was always hesitant about online tutoring as I had never done it before. However not only have I developed new skills, using Zoom and Bitpaper, I have discovered a whole new way of teaching, a way that I will keep going with in the near future, post pandemic. Whilst the main benefit of online tutoring is that travel is not required, which I like, it does have its pros and cons.
Although there is no need to travel, it does involve more planning, which I personally don’t mind. I do find, however that children are more easily distracted, particularly the younger ones, and often find it hard to focus. As a result I have had to shorten my lessons from 1 hour to 30 – 45 minutes, which in turn impacts on my prices. Parents expect to pay less. I do, however, like the ease of going from one client to another at a touch of a button. That said, I do miss face to face particularly for the personal interaction that makes it easier to guide students and manage their behaviour. I also miss the value of using physical resources and giving the student’s the opportunity to learn ‘ by doing’ – Kineasthetic learning’. This can be achieved to a certain extent with online tuition but it is not the same as face to face.”
Monica:
“Having spent the last two or three years Skyping students in far-flung corners of the globe, it’s fair to say that Lockdown hasn’t dramatically altered my working routine. And thanks to the internet, we tutors have been able to ply our trade while the whole world is in turmoil. Online tutoring is undoubtedly a God-send; tuition is no longer limited to rigid timetables; you can do back-to-back lessons in your pyjama bottoms right round the clock and never have to leave the house. With the ability to fit more chargeable hours into the working day, your bank balance stays healthier as do you, no longer exposed to your tutees’ coughs and colds – or anything more dangerous.
But there are downsides. Some of my students opt to turn their cameras off, so trying to judge whether they are finding something tricky or, indeed, whether they are working at all, and not texting their mates is impossible. Then there are all those WiFi problems: losing signal, interference and other malfunctions. So, all in all, it’s a mixed bag. But let’s face it, where would we be without Skype, Zoom and all the other online platforms that let us carry on?”
Simon:
“I think it depends on a variety of factors, in particular age, subject and technical ability. With regards to age it’s fairly obvious that younger students (12 and under) generally get less out of zooming (or whatever) than older ones. I also think that more facts-based subjects are probably easier to teach on line than English, which often involves the reading of texts and discussion. Then, of course, there is the undeniable fact that whereas some tutors may possess great IT ability, others, alas, might struggle merely to negotiate a tentative path through the technological minefield.”
G:
“At first, when I started doing online tuition, I was sceptical. I didn’t know whether I would be able to cover as much material in an online format, or if I’d be able to keep students engaged. As time has gone on, I have been pleasantly surprised by how much material I’ve been able to cover during lessons – it’s just as much as in face-to-face tuition in my opinion. Keeping students engaged has not been a problem either. I conduct most of my lessons on Skype, as I find the screen-sharing option very useful, but I also conduct lessons on Zoom occasionally.”
Rish:
“Whilst the pandemic has been a tumultuous time for students, parents and teachers, there have undoubtedly been a plethora of positives that have arisen, juxtaposing the doom and gloom that currently hangs over the educational sector. Online lessons have thrived and more parents are looking at this as a viable long-term solution. Access to exceptional educational providers is now not limited to the geographic region a student resides in but rather the trust placed in the agency or consultation a family chooses to work with.
Prior to this new way of working, online lessons were considered a second-class citizen and most tutors would agree it was not the preferable choice as opposed to in-person. The main reason cited for this was the inter-personal connection and bond formed by a student and tutor being in the same room together. Whilst this feeling of camaraderie is difficult to replicate over Zoom calls, it is definitely possible. Tools such as Bramble and BitPaper have been first choice for many tutors who look to bridge the gap and deliver stellar lessons. By doing so, perceptions of what online lessons represent are changing and many families are looking at this as a sustainable method that is flexible and resilient.
Speaking as a tutor, the chance to work with students from such a wide and varied background has been truly fantastic. Whether it be helping a young learner in Uganda get a sports scholarship or an A Level student in America aim for UK universities, the opportunities that have been afforded as a result of the situation are something that many tutors are extremely grateful for.Helping and nurturing is ultimately what every educator aims to do. Assisting foreign students with different experiences, thoughts and ideas is undoubtedly a fulfilling act that is the passion of so many tutors and teachers alike. The circumstances we are faced with dictate this currently, but once normality resumes it will certainly be interesting to see how this tide shifts.”
