4 Types of Tutoring to Consider

By Ian Acosta on March 27, 2017

Tutoring is a natural part of college. Some associate a negative stigma with seeking out tutoring because some may see tutoring as a weakness or a sign of not having intellect. This is simply not true.

Seeking help or clarification on a topic or idea is, rather, a sign of willingness to succeed and of persistence. What one needs to then figure out is what type of tutoring fits their situation or style of learning the best? In this post, I will break down some different types of tutoring along with how to best determine if it fits your learning style.

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One-on-one tutoring

The most direct style of tutoring in my opinion. One-on-one tutoring allows for the tutor to get the most direct sense of the area of study where you need help. Also, it allows you to set the pace of tutoring, assuming you have a few regular appointments set up. Everyone learns at a different pace. Tutoring is no different.

If your tutor goes over something and you are still having trouble comprehending it, ask to spend more time on it before moving onto another topic. The best aspect of one-on-one tutoring is the pace of it. Might it be a stringent cost? Sure, but for the level of pace and knowledge you wish to attain, there is a price. Personally, I tend to use this type of tutoring when I seek out a tutor.

Group tutoring

Similar to group study sessions, group tutoring can be a great forum to bounce questions off everyone involved. However, typically with group study sessions, there is not one person leading the discussion on the topics, or if there is, it is a professor or teaching assistant. With group tutoring, there can be a lead tutor going through topics with you and others.

There are some obvious pros and cons to this tutoring style. A major pro is that some questions or ideas you may not have thought of beforehand could be brought up from others you are learning with. As mentioned, it is a great setting for new ideas or ways to learn a topic that you may be struggling with or may not have thought of before.

One drawback to group tutoring is that it could be difficult for the tutor to gauge the progress of the learners. For example, if you are still unsure on a topic while it seems everyone else is all set, the tutor may move on without consulting everyone. So, what is the tradeoff? Discussion for a community as opposed to focusing on an individual. If that is for you, group tutoring might be your best option.

Online tutoring

With the advent of webcams and online classes, tutoring online is rapidly becoming a way to teach students. Similar to one-on-one tutoring, you, as the tutee, can control the pace of what and how in-depth the tutor goes with you. Moreover, access to online resources can be utilized right in your tutoring session to further help you understand and learn a topic.

However, while it is a “one-on-one” type of relationship, it is not in person. Also, it may not even be over video. It could be in a chatroom style format. If convenience is a huge factor for you, online tutoring may be the way to go. Although, if you value learning in-person, it would be wise to seek out in-person help.

Classmate tutoring

If you take classes with a friend or roommate, having them tutor you is a great way to make sure you understand a topic or idea in a class. If you have no friends who happen to take the same class you happen to be struggling in, do your best to seek out a classmate you think is having success in the class. The advantage to having a classmate tutor you is that you both can discuss the current topics of the class and think of ways to best prepare for assignments, quizzes, and exams.

However, a big assumption of learning from a classmate is that your classmate is very knowledgeable with what he or she is helping you. The tradeoff in this situation is trust. Do you trust that your classmate can truly help you out more than another tutor or a group tutor? In the end, it is your choice.

With these four types of tutoring, there are clear tradeoffs. Ultimately, there are numerous ways to go about tutoring. It is all about finding the right balance for what you feel comfortable with while also fitting in your style of learning. In addition to this post, seek out your school resources as well. For example, look on job boards, your major’s department website, and any other school hotlines available to you to seek out tutoring help.

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