The Benefits and Disadvantages of Private Tutoring

If you’re new to the field of private tutoring, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with the many responsibilities that come with the job. You should think about private tutoring as an alternative to public schooling if your child needs more individualised attention than they can get at school. Children with learning impairments or who are falling behind can also benefit from this approach because it allows for more individualised teaching.

There are, however, some downsides to this method of teaching that should be taken into account. Costs associated with hiring a private tutor, for instance, might vary widely based on factors like the teacher’s location and how long they’ve been tutoring students with your particular learning style (i.e., art supplies).

Private tutoring is a service whereby a single tutor or a small group of tutors works with a student to provide them with individualised instruction. Both the benefits and drawbacks of working with a private tutor will be covered in this article. In this regard, there are numerous factors to think about.

Some of the benefits include better academic performance, higher exam scores, deeper understanding of the material, more time to focus on individual needs, and less interruptions during study. But, there are also certain limitations that some people may find unappealing. One of these is a failure to develop normal social skills because of insufficient interaction with peers at school. For some, this might be a deal-breaker. All of this comes down to the kind of learning environment you hope to provide for your young child as they form their conceptual foundations.

Some students may have a tough time at school, but they are not alone. Fortunately, Dr. Study can put you in touch with a variety of excellent  tutors in Melbourne that can help your child catch up or maybe gain ahead.

Pro and Cons of Hiring a Private Tutor

It’s not surprising that private tutoring has become increasingly popular in recent years, given the proven effectiveness of one-on-one instruction. A lot of studies have shown that it can raise a student’s grade level by about one and a half years. A student’s grade may rise from a poor D to a good C or a low B to a high A as a result of this.

Here are some pros and downsides to think about before deciding whether to hire a private tutor for your child:

Pros

• Private tutors have the flexibility to adapt their lessons to each student’s individual needs and learning style. This is the most crucial factor when deciding whether or not to hire a private tutor. As a parent, you probably remember being frustrated in school because you didn’t understand the fundamentals of subjects like geometry and calculus and wanted someone to take the time to explain them to you from the beginning, the way you now understand them. In other words, tutors can remove a roadblock to learning so that the student can progress in other areas.
• Private tutors can provide your child the one-to-one attention they need to succeed. Does your kid do better with visual assistance like images and diagrams? Is your child a more “get in and do it” learner than a “read everything about it” learner? Private tutoring is preferable to traditional classroom settings because it allows for more individualised attention for each student. Private tutoring could be the solution if you’re worried about your child becoming lost in a system that aims to educate everyone the same thing.
• Private tutors can help a child with dyslexia, dyspraxia, a visual or auditory impairment, or any number of other conditions that cause learning and communication issues. With the help of a private tutor in their area of speciality who is also sincerely passionate about teaching, your child can make significant progress.
• Your child will learn more than just the basics from a qualified private tutor; they will also learn important study skills: Time management, helpful hints like focusing and summarising on titles while skim reading, and techniques like paying attention to what the teacher emphasises in class are just a few of the ways that students can better prepare for upcoming assessments.
• Thanks to  online tutoring platforms like Superprof, private tutoring can be scheduled around your child’s other activities, allowing them to develop a well-rounded routine that includes academics, extracurriculars, and more.
• Convenience is a major selling point of private tutoring; if you can find a tutor who is willing to go to you, rather than you going to them, then the whole process becomes much more manageable.
• Private tutoring gives you access to top-tier resources: If you’ve done your research and hired a qualified tutor with solid references and a genuine passion for tutoring, they won’t just use your child’s textbooks to teach; they’ll also be familiar with a variety of other teaching methods (such as the Montessori and Steiner-Waldorf approaches) that put less emphasis on structure and more on discovering the ways in which we learn and retain information.
• Private tutors can assist your child in developing a plan to achieve those goals: Improvement in one’s academic standing is only one goal of study; other, more personal goals, some of which may lie outside of the parameters of the required curriculum, can also be attained by dedicated study. For a particularly bright three-year-old, for instance, the goal might be to read at an advanced Oxford level. It’s especially important for advanced students to be challenged and motivated, and our policy guarantees that they will.
• A private tutor relieves parents of the responsibility of supervising their children during homework time: Certain topics, like advanced mathematics and new technology, can be difficult for even parents to grasp, and this is especially true if our children are entering their teenage years. Also, most parents feel they do not have enough time to spend with their children, and would rather not spend the little time they do have with their teenagers on something as potentially conflicting or tense as study.
• Personalized Session: A teacher can’t always pause the entire class to go over a problem with a single student. When working with a tutor, children can feel free to ask as many questions as they need until they grasp the material on their own.
• Work at Their Own Pace: Your child will be able to work at his or her own pace and receive as much help with a concept as needed in order to completely grasp it when they receive this individualised attention.
• Tailored Study Time: One-on-one tutoring session provides students with individualised study time that cannot be replicated in a typical classroom setting due to the diversity of students’ requirements and learning styles. Children who have difficulties studying, such as those with dyslexia or ADHD, may benefit greatly from this.
• Learn Good Study Habits: Tutorhub explains that a skilled tutor will also instruct their student in the art of time management, provide helpful hints such as what and how to focus on summaries and titles when skimming, and instruct them on methods like as taking note of the teacher’s emphases in class so that they may better forecast the content on future examinations.
• You’ll See Real Benefits in only a few sessions – According to the website Enlighten Me, hiring a private tutor can have a significant impact on your child’s academic performance.

Cons

• Children can feel pressured by their parents, so it’s best if they initiate the notion of private tutoring themselves. This is due to the fact that if a child feels their parents are being overbearing, they can simply shut down around their tutor.
• Children must learn to overcome challenges, Private tutoring has been criticised by many who believe it is the same as handing your child’s education to them. Some naysayers argue that young people should learn to rely only on their own abilities to achieve success (The role of a competent tutor is not to do the work for your child, but to inspire and guide them to success.).
• Safety: Some parents may feel uneasy about leaving their children with strangers because of safety concerns. They should either work with a reputable agency that thoroughly vets its tutors, or hire a private tutor who can supply them with references and a DBS/CRB check to verify the tutor’s clean record. Check out our latest blog post for additional information regarding DBS and CRB checks.
• Possible consequences for extracurriculars: It’s likely that your child will lose crucial time travelling to and from the tutor’s location if you can’t afford to hire one who will come to your home. A child can learn just as much from pursuing interests outside of school, such as athletics and music. There are times when time constraints force people to skip private tutoring.
• Quite pricey, with estimates on Care.com ranging from $10 to $15 per hour for a high school student to $75 per hour for a licensed teacher with expertise as a tutor.
• Time-Consuming: Seeing a tutor can be a time-consuming process. This could prevent the kid from participating in other enriching extracurricular activities like sports or music that are essential to his or her development.
• Conflicting Personalities: It’s normal for tutoring relationships to get tense because of personality clashes between students and tutors. It’s a good idea to have a trial run with a tutor for free or at a discounted charge to make sure they can work effectively together before signing a contract (if necessary) or officially employing them.
• Accessibility and Transportation: Transportation in rural places might be difficult to arrange, especially if the tutor is too young to legally drive. Ensure that you plan ahead of time and figure out the details.
• Finding Quality – It’s not always easy to find quality. It’s best to do some research and to seek advice from people you know. Get a trustworthy and reliable tutor through recommendations from friends and family.

In general, hiring a tutor is a fantastic way to boost your child’s academic performance. One of the numerous advantages is the chance to better one’s academic standing and, by extension, one’s future prospects. The high cost is a drawback. Ultimately, the choice rests with you, but maybe this article has given you something to think about as you decide whether or not to give it a shot.

Several millions of pupils all across the world are having difficulty in the classroom. To help your child succeed, Dr. Study offers many different online learning and tutoring programs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Tuition

The questions that parents ask when their child is enrolling into primary school:

• Is there any evidence that children improve when they take part in enrichment lessons?
• Where is the best place to enrol in a tuition programme?
• Which type of education costs more? Private lessons or classroom instruction?
• Is schooling for your child necessary?

When it comes to classes, there are two options: private (one-on-one) and group (a classroom setting). Private tuition, often known as “1 to 1” or “one-on-one” tutoring, typically takes place in a one-on-one setting, such as a student’s home or a dedicated learning facility.

Why It’s Worth It to Pay for Private Tuition

One-on-one teaching is the most effective learning environment. What’s in it for the rest of us:

• Undivided attention –  the teacher can devote all of his or her time and energy to the student.
• Provide students with immediate responses to questions and comments to promote deep learning.
• Flexible lesson schedule – Lesson times can be adjusted with minimal hassle by both you and your tutor.

If a family is in a position to pay for the high costs of one-on-one tutoring, then why not take advantage of the opportunity?

It is not true for the vast majority of students. Despite their apparent benefits, they could be harmful to your child. Furthermore, there are a great deal of additional concealed downsides that nobody has really discussed.

Disadvantages of Private Tuition

Undivided Attention

The one-on-one instructor will provide your child the most help, but this might lead to unhealthy dependence. Hiring a private tutor is counterproductive to building the self-directed study skills that are crucial to students’ long-term academic performance.

There are ways to help your child succeed in school despite the challenges that currently exist. For instance, in Primary, Secondary, and Junior Secondary Education. But what about the real world once you leave college behind?

Will your child have trouble making the transition to learning in a group setting after spending so much time with a one-on-one tutor?

Although it may be far off in the distance, as parents it is our responsibility to plan ahead extensively for our children.

Instant Feedback

Feedback given at the right time can considerably improve a student’s ability to learn. There’s no use arguing about this. When feedback is provided too rapidly, though, it might be counterproductive.

Several educational institutions place a strong emphasis on instilling in their students the ability to analyse questions, check for casual mistakes, and go through a good thinking process as part of their curriculum. They must be able to come up with their own solutions and own their choices.

The availability of immediate responses can sometimes be at odds with this. Students receive feedback before they have had a chance to fully consider the questions and their responses. Would you pay a lot of money for a private tutor who would merely wait for your child to think, even though doing so usually disrupts the stream of thought they’ve been having?

While teachers do their best to react quickly to students’ WhatsApp messages, there will always be moments when they are unable to do so. Commonly, students will be able to solve the problem even before the teacher has replied them since they will have thought it through when typing out the question.

Students are able to apply what they have learned in class and provide constructive criticism using the correct thought processes that have been emphasised and modelled for them. As a result, many pupils are able to do better on standardised tests.

They would rely too heavily on it, and they might continue to do so for the whole of their schooling if it were immediate.

Flexible Lesson Schedule

Once a weekly schedule has been established for the majority of students, it is unlikely that it will be altered. And this is to the benefit, as it helps to establish a habit as well as a good discipline for the structure that is to follow.

However, the vast majority of experienced and qualified one-on-one tutors do not permit flexible lesson scheduling.

This is due to the fact that the beginning of the school year is typically a very busy time for them.

Lesson Structure

The vast majority of one-on-one tutoring sessions do not adhere to any kind of lesson structure or planning.

Most one-on-one tutoring done at a student’s home consists of the student asking the tutor school questions, using school notes and worksheets, and so on.

This is the case the majority of the time. At other times during the lesson, random question compilations from assessment books that have been purchased previously will be used.

When giving lessons to a small group of students for tuition, we plan out our lessons (in terms of what to teach and timeline).

We use our own proprietary materials, which include concept-building worksheets and notes that are unique to our company.

These materials teach students how to recognise different types of questions that may be asked. In addition, we make use of lesson props to give our students a first-hand opportunity to engage in kinaesthetic learning.

How many one-on-one tutors would come to your home to teach you and bring the necessary learning materials?

No Peer Interaction

In 1 on 1 lessons, there is no interaction at all between the students’ peers.

Students are able to gauge where they stand in comparison to their classmates from other schools through the use of small group tuition that incorporates peer interaction.

Peer learning is already practised in schools, but this only provides students with a general idea of how well they are performing academically in comparison to their classmates.

However, national examinations are not just for a single school but rather for the entirety of the country as a whole.

If it’s done right, this could help motivate students to engage in positive competition with one another to become better versions of themselves.

You want the best for your children and that includes giving them a strong foundation in early childhood learning. With Dr Study, you can be sure that your child is getting the best possible early childhood education that is tailored to each their needs.

Tough To Hire Experienced Tutors

There are a lot of tutors who offer 1-on-1 lessons, but it can be challenging to find ones who are both experienced and qualified.

It is typical for the experienced and qualified one-on-one tutors to have their schedules booked up early in the year.

Consider the following: a diligent tutor who works seven days a week could possibly only teach a maximum of two lessons during the weekdays and four lessons on the weekends.

That means there will be no more than 18 students. In what amount of time do you believe all 18 available spots would be occupied?

This number drops when you take into account the fact that the tutor might not work full-time or might want a day or two off every now and then.

So Who Really Needs 1 to 1 Tuition?

Undoubtedly, there will be a few exceptional circumstances in which one-on-one tutoring will prove to be more beneficial; provided, of course, that you find the appropriate instructor.

Students who require additional attention, despite the fact that the examinations are drawing near.

Students who are already performing at or above an 85 percent level (at least for secondary and junior college), and who aspire to perform even better in order to graduate first in their class.

Conclusion

Private tutoring is an alternative to public schooling for children with learning impairments or who are falling behind. It is a service whereby a single tutor or a small group of tutors works with a student to provide them with individualised instruction. Benefits include better academic performance, higher exam scores, deeper understanding of the material, more time to focus on individual needs, and less interruptions during study. However, there are some downsides, such as a failure to develop normal social skills due to insufficient interaction with peers at school. To decide whether to hire a private tutor for your child, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the service.

Private tutors have the flexibility to adapt their lessons to each student’s individual needs and learning style, allowing for more individualised attention for each student. They can help a child with dyslexia, dyspraxia, visual or auditory impairment, or any number of other conditions that cause learning and communication issues. Additionally, private tutoring can be scheduled around other activities, allowing for a well-rounded routine that includes academics, extracurriculars, and more. Finally, convenience is a major selling point of private tutoring. Private tutoring provides access to top-tier resources and helps students develop a plan to achieve their goals.

It also relieves parents of the responsibility of supervising their children during homework time, allowing them to work at their own pace and receive individualised attention. One-on-one tutoring sessions provide students with individualised study time that cannot be replicated in a classroom setting due to the diversity of students’ requirements and learning styles. Private tutoring can have a significant impact on a child’s academic performance, but it can be time-consuming and expensive. Parents should work with a reputable agency that thoroughly vets its tutors, or hire a private tutor who can supply references and a DBS/CRB check to verify the tutor’s clean record.

It can also have negative consequences for extracurriculars, such as losing crucial time travelling to and from the tutor’s location. Private tuition is a great way to boost a child’s academic performance, but there are disadvantages such as conflicting personalities, accessibility and transportation, finding quality, and the high cost. Private tuition is the most effective learning environment due to its undivided attention and immediate responses to questions and comments. Private tutoring can be beneficial for some students, but it can lead to unhealthy dependence and a lack of self-directed study skills.

There are ways to help your child succeed in school despite the challenges, such as providing instant feedback and instilling the ability to analyse questions, check for mistakes, and go through a good thinking process. However, it is important to plan ahead for the transition to learning in a group setting after spending so much time with a one-on-one tutor. Private tutoring sessions don’t adhere to any structured curriculum or lesson plan, and students typically ask their tutors questions regarding their homework and receive guidance on how to solve difficulties using information learned in class. Planning beforehand is essential for private tutoring, and students benefit from having the opportunity to apply what they’re learning through the usage of classroom props. Peer learning is not new to schools, but the information it provides pupils about how they stack up academically compared to their peers is limited.

If implemented correctly, this has the potential to encourage students to challenge one another to improve. Private tutors can be difficult to find, but there are many to choose from. The best private tutors typically fill up their calendars early in the year, and the class size is kept to a maximum of 18. However, there are rare instances where private tuition can be more useful, such as students who still have questions or need help, or those who want to do even better.

Content Summary

• If you’re new to the field of private tutoring, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with the many responsibilities that come with the job.
• You should think about private tutoring as an alternative to public schooling if your child needs more individualised attention than they can get at school.
• Both the benefits and drawbacks of working with a private tutor will be covered in this article.
• It’s not surprising that private tutoring has become increasingly popular in recent years, given the proven effectiveness of one-on-one instruction.
• Private tutors have the flexibility to adapt their lessons to each student’s individual needs and learning style.
• This is the most crucial factor when deciding whether or not to hire a private tutor.
• Private tutors can provide your child the one-to-one attention they need to succeed.
• Private tutoring is preferable to traditional classroom settings because it allows for more individualised attention for each student.
• With the help of a private tutor in their area of speciality who is also sincerely passionate about teaching, your child can make significant progress.
• Private tutoring gives you access to top-tier resources: If you’ve done your research and hired a qualified tutor with solid references and a genuine passion for tutoring, they won’t just use your child’s textbooks to teach; they’ll also be familiar with a variety of other teaching methods (such as the Montessori and Steiner-Waldorf approaches) that put less emphasis on structure and more on discovering the ways in which we learn and retain information.
• Private tutors can assist your child in developing a plan to achieve those goals: Improvement in one’s academic standing is only one goal of study; other, more personal goals, some of which may lie outside of the parameters of the required curriculum, can also be attained by dedicated study.
• A private tutor relieves parents of the responsibility of supervising their children during homework time: Certain topics, like advanced mathematics and new technology, can be difficult for even parents to grasp, and this is especially true if our children are entering their teenage years.
• When working with a tutor, children can feel free to ask as many questions as they need until they grasp the material on their own.
• One-on-one tutoring sessions provide students with individualised study time that cannot be replicated in a typical classroom setting due to the diversity of students’ requirements and learning styles.
• According to the website Enlighten Me, hiring a private tutor can have a significant impact on your child’s academic performance.
• Children can feel pressured by their parents, so it’s best if they initiate the notion of private tutoring themselves.
• Children must learn to overcome challenges, Private tutoring has been criticised by many who believe it is the same as handing your child’s education to them.
• Some naysayers argue that young people should learn to rely only on their own abilities to achieve success (The role of a competent tutor is not to do the work for your child, but to inspire and guide them to success.).
• They should either work with a reputable agency that thoroughly vets its tutors, or hire a private tutor who can supply them with references and a DBS/CRB check to verify the tutor’s clean record.
• Possible consequences for extracurriculars: It’s likely that your child will lose crucial time travelling to and from the tutor’s location if you can’t afford to hire one who will come to your home.
• A child can learn just as much from pursuing interests outside of school, such as athletics and music.
• There are times when time constraints force people to skip private tutoring.
• Seeing a tutor can be a time-consuming process.
• Get a trustworthy and reliable tutor through recommendations from friends and family.
• In general, hiring a tutor is a fantastic way to boost your child’s academic performance.
• Despite their apparent benefits, they could be harmful to your child.
• The one-on-one instructor will provide your child the most help, but this might lead to unhealthy dependence.
• Hiring a private tutor is counterproductive to building the self-directed study skills that are crucial to students’ long-term academic performance.
• There are ways to help your child succeed in school despite the challenges that currently exist.
• Feedback given at the right time can considerably improve a student’s ability to learn.
• Yet, most experienced and competent private teachers do not allow students to choose their own lesson times.
• As a rule, private tutoring sessions don’t adhere to any sort of structured curriculum or lesson plan.
• During in-home tutoring sessions, students typically ask their tutors questions regarding their homework and receive guidance on how to solve difficulties using information learned in class.
• Planning beforehand is essential for private tutoring, especially when working with a small group of students (in terms of what to teach and timeline).
• Using small-group instruction that emphasises collaborative learning, students can measure their progress in relation to their peers from other schools.
• While the practise of peer learning is not new to schools, the information it provides pupils about how they stack up academically compared to their peers is limited.
• Finding a qualified and experienced private tutor can be difficult, but there are many to choose from.
• When you consider that your tutor might not work full time or might desire a day or two off every once in a while, that number reduces significantly.
• Without a doubt, there will be a few rare instances where private tuition proves to be more useful; that is, if you find the right instructor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Author

Dr. Olga Abeysekera

Dr Olga Abeysekera, founder of Dr Study Tutoring and the Dr Progress Group Pty Ltd, is passionate about transforming education through innovative and personalised tutoring. With a PhD in Management from Monash University and a background in both academic research and private tutoring, she has a deep commitment to helping students excel.
Her holistic approach at Dr Study Tutoring emphasises not only academic success but also the development of lifelong skills, ensuring that each student receives the best education and support possible. Dr Olga’s dedication to continuous improvement drives her mission to inspire a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.

Check all posts

Linkedin