Learning about learning: Getting more comfortable with online tutoring

Online tutoring can seem complicated or mysterious if you aren’t already familiar with it. What does a typical tutoring session look like? Will the tutor be impatient or critical if a child is struggling? Without answers to these and other questions, it’s understandable if you don’t feel ready to dive head-first into online tutoring.

Fortunately, highly qualified tutors have the experience to handle any learning situation. They also want to help a child succeed and will cultivate a positive relationship to do so. With a bit of knowledge, it’s easier to give online tutoring a chance—so here are answers to some common questions that parents and guardians often have.

What tutoring services are available online?

Not all tutoring services are alike. Do they only include the actual sessions, or does the child have access to the tutor between their sessions? Can the child get one-on-one attention, or will they have to share their tutor with other students?

When it comes to online tutoring, it’s also helpful to consider what technology will be required and expectations for using it. Will the session take place on video? Will the child have access to an interactive whiteboard or another way to work through problems with their tutor? Can the child message their tutor at any time if they have questions? How about the parent?

It pays to do a little digging and ask questions. A reputable online tutoring service will have a website that includes all these details and more, and this information should be easy to access and navigate. If you visit an online tutoring website and get answers to questions you didn’t even know you had, that’s a good sign. And if you have any questions that aren’t answered on the site, a good online tutoring service should be happy to respond to any inquiries you send.

What are the qualifications of online tutors?

There’s no need to be shy about asking for tutor credentials. A qualified tutor, online or otherwise, should be proficient in your child’s subject and have a background in teaching or tutoring students.

Along with being experienced tutors, many Remind tutors are current or former classroom teachers who have earned teaching certifications from their state. They also undergo a rigorous vetting process with Remind that includes subject matter assessments as well as mock teaching sessions.

What does a typical online tutoring session look like?

Unlike on-demand tutoring or homework help, where students log on at any time to get help with their assignments from available tutors, the most effective type of online tutoring involves meeting with the same tutor regularly over time.

While different online tutoring services structure sessions differently, the most effective programs include the following components.  

• During your first online tutoring session, your tutor should introduce themselves and get to know more about your child and what they need help with. As part of this process, the tutor might ask your child to take a subject assessment to identify areas and concepts to focus on. They’ll also likely work with you and your child to set goals for tutoring.
• In subsequent sessions, your tutor should use these goals to help track progress over time. Usually, tutors will check in on how things are going in class, or any other updates that might be helpful to know. Then, they’ll provide hands-on instruction by explaining terms and concepts and inviting the student to do practice exercises. To close out the session, tutors should review important concepts, check in with the student for any final questions, and assign take-home problems as needed.

However, tutoring sessions won’t be the exactly same for every child—and they shouldn’t be. A service like Remind Tutoring provides personalized instruction tailored to each child’s academic strengths and needs. As a result, each child’s sessions may vary based on their unique goals or what they’re currently working on.

How will tutors work with a student who's struggling?

No tutor should criticize or judge a child because they’re struggling to master concepts. Instead, effective tutors will approach overwhelmed students with empathy and emphasize improvement and growth to help them progress toward their goals.

Students need different levels of support and teaching to be successful. At Remind, tutors prioritize getting to know each student and building positive relationships in order to support successful outcomes.

See how Remind Tutoring can work with you

There’s a lot of information out there about tutoring and its benefit—some of it conflicting or confusing. But if your child can benefit from extra support, it’s worth finding the right option for your family’s needs.

As a leading education and communication platform, Remind makes online tutoring transparent, comfortable, and rewarding. Families, schools, and districts all rely on Remind Tutoring to help students achieve their academic goals with personalized, one-on-one tutoring.

Contact Remind today to learn how online tutoring can help your child succeed.

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