Online tutoring is a popular option for providing academic support to students conveniently. Tutoring services are available for a wide variety of subjects and students of all ages can find extra help for studies and skill-building delivered online.
Websites • There are several different tutoring models and tools available. Most online services offer the connection with a live tutor hired by the company to help students. At Tutor.com, for instance, students work in an online classroom with their tutor and have access to a mobile app for tutoring on-the-go. TutorVista.com uses a virtual whiteboard space to work out problems and a chat option between student and tutor. At Growing Stars.com student sessions are conducted with Skype VoIP service and an online whiteboard.
Specifics • Pricing, tutor qualifications, and resources vary. Eduboard.com, for instance, covers subjects from elementary to university level content, costs approximately $20 for 30 minutes of tutoring and offers one-on-one tutoring or a quick whiteboard answer with a sliding scale fee. Tutor.com offers a connection with a tutor in 2 to 5 minutes, charges $39 an hour, and offers discounts for military families. Stizzil.com incorporates “live” fact-to-face video interactions from licensed teachers and offers a first private online session for free.
Use this checklist to decide which tutoring service makes the grade for you.
Check qualifications. While many services pride themselves on qualified tutors, you’ll want to find out what those qualifications are. Background checks and teaching experience are often a minimum qualification.
Match subjects. Make sure the subject and grade-level of your student are served by the tutoring service. Be specific when requesting Advanced Placement tutoring and inquire about the ability of the tutors to accommodate your child’s special needs if he or she has an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Read reviews. Look online for reviews comparing price, effectiveness, and program features. Greatschools.org and Edudemic.com offer reviews and articles on the top tutoring and educational trends.
Start together. Make sure you’re available to participate with you child with the tutoring service in the very beginning. Technology glitches and awkward introductions can often dampen enthusiasm when tutoring first begins. Parents can help the transition by checking tech requirements before tutoring starts and being present for the first session, if not all, depending on your student.
Kick Off the New Year with Best (FREE) Family Apps
Save Money. GasBuddy • App that locates gas stations near you to compare costs and find the least expense price at the pump. Kids Meal Deals • Helps you find local promotions for dining out at your family’s favorite restaurants. Apples2Oranges • Compares prices and quantities of products while you shop.
Eat Healthier. Fooducate • Uses a phone camera to snap photos of a food product and give it a grade from A through F, along with other nutritional notes. Munch 5-a-Day • A fun, interactive game that keeps track of the number of fruits and veggies each family member eats.
Get active. Eat-And-Move-O-Matic • Shows kids how long it takes to burn calories doing activities they enjoy. Kiddy Keep Fit • Encourages young children to exercise to music. Take a family walk together each day and use the MapMyWalk app to set family goals and keep track of the miles.
Learn something new. Weird but True • Offers hundreds of wild, wacky facts from National Geographic Kids. Weird Word of the Day • Introduces families to less common words and their definitions. Fat Brain • A fun trivia game with facts from history, languages, sports, and more.