With more than 3.5 million lessons under our belts, we know a thing or two about online tutoring! That’s why we’re here to help you make the most out of online tuition with our ultimate guide.
Whether you need help selecting the right tutor or deciding how long you need tutoring for, we’ve got you covered.
In this ultimate guide you’ll find:
Do I need a tutor?
Is online or in-person right for me?
The benefits of online tutoring
How do I choose the best tutor?
What should I ask in a free meeting?
What can I expect in my first lesson?
How long should I do tutoring?
Do I need a tutor?
To some, deciding to get a tutor is a simple equation. If your child is struggling with a subject, looking to get better marks, or in need of support with their homework, getting a tutor is a no-brainer.
Lots of parents are really clear about the importance of extra help for their child.
However, for some, choosing tutoring feels like a bigger step. Maybe it’s the cost or the time commitment that makes you pause, either way it’s important to be clear about the benefits of tutoring when deciding if it’s right for you.
So when asking if you need a tutor, take a look at the key benefits of tutoring below to help you decide.
The benefits of tutoring
There are so many benefits to online tutoring for your child, here are some of the key ones:
- Get personalised 1:1 support for your child where they’re in control and able to ask questions without the fear of getting it wrong.
- Even the best teachers can’t give everyone in a class personal attention, tutors can. They go at your child’s pace and answer all their questions.
- Build confidence and self-esteem as your child improves in subjects they used to struggle with – they may even start to love their subjects!
- Help them build better study habits with regular at home learning and consistent support.
- Encourage independent learning as your child practises critical-thinking skills and discovers their own strengths.
Plus, our tutors are subject specialists studying at top UK universities. They’re close in age to your child, making them relatable role models who feel different to their school teachers.
If you’re looking for all of the above for your child, then you might just need a tutor!
Is online or in-person tutoring better?
MyTutor is an online tutoring provider that pairs students with the best tutor for them, virtually. We have a dedicated online Lesson Space that means you can learn with top tutors, wherever you’re based.
Online tutoring gives you the flexibility to select the tutor you want, not just the one available in your area. Plus, with our dedicated online platform, your child can work interactively with their tutor and watch back their lessons for revision after.
It also allows for the greatest flexibility – you can fit tutoring into your students’ schedules, and do it in the location that works best for them. For all these reasons and more, we believe that online tutoring provides the best learning experience for your child and solves the headaches of in-person tutoring too!
Find out 4 headaches that tutoring online solves.
The benefits of online tutoring
There are so many benefits to online tutoring, the top ones include:
Flexibility: Learn around your schedule and where they feel most comfortable with the flexibility of online learning.
Price: Get top tutors at great prices, with all the tools they need to teach in one, easy to access platform.
Quality: No local tutors? No problem! With online tutoring, students are matched with the best possible tutor for them, not just who’s nearby.
Hear it directly from a parent! Here are 6 benefits of online learning from Claire.
How do I choose the best tutor for my child?
Once you’ve decided that online tutoring is right for your child, how do you choose which tutor to work with? With so many great tutors available from, it can be tricky to know where to start. That’s where we’re here to help.
When picking a tutor there are some important things to consider:
> What subject, level and exam board is your child studying?
> What time of day and for how long do you need tutoring?
> Who does my child like best?
We run free meetings before our sessions, so you and your child get the chance to meet with your tutor to check the chemistry is right before you start. And if it’s the wrong fit, you can try as many tutors as you like!
Find out more about choosing a tutor in our blog.
What questions should I ask my tutor?
In your free meeting or first lesson, you may have a list of things you want to understand or cover. That’s great! Our tutors are happy to answer your questions.
But if you’re stuck for ideas on what you should be asking, one of our tutors, Ishali, has offered up the following top tips for making the most of that first session.
Tutor top tips for making the most out of your free meeting:
- Make sure your tutor knows all the basics ahead of time. For example: your child’s year group, subject needed, tier (foundation or higher), exam board and current/target grades.
- Let your tutor know how your child learns best. A good question to ask is what does their favourite teacher do that they like?
- Tell them any extra information on additional learning needs or important dates. For example, upcoming tests and exam dates.
- Check the rescheduling and cancellation policies for your tutor, so you know what to do if you need to reschedule.
- Stay in the loop by asking for weekly lesson reports from your tutor and agreeing this from the start.
Looking for a Maths tutor specifically? Check out our handy guide.
What should I expect in my first lesson?
Our tutors will spend the first lesson getting to know your child and covering a few basics to get started on the right foot, these are:
- Building rapport: Getting to know each other and creating an environment that’s friendly, engaging and easy to ask questions in is essential. Our tutors will start by building that relationship to put your teen at ease.
- Assessing where they’re at: To help develop that tailored lesson plan, our tutors will ask questions to understand where your teen is at currently. From confidence to grades, they’ll look to understand where you’re starting from.
- Creating a tailored plan: Based on your child’s goals, the tutor will then talk through how they’re going to get them to that top grade or feeling that they’re great at Maths. Whatever your goal, our tutors will help your teen get there.
And that’s it, nothing scary! Our tutors are all a friendly bunch and here to help your teen achieve their goals.
How long should I do tutoring?
The Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF) recommends frequent tutoring sessions of up to an hour, over 6-12 weeks typically shows the greatest impact. 1:1 lessons are also the most effective, although small group sessions can benefit students too.
Here at MyTutor, we’ve found that students start to see results after just 6 sessions and that’s not just looking at grades but confidence too!
Many students will see their confidence in school and learning other subjects skyrocket after working with our tutors.
Find out more about what top educational research institutions recommend in our article here.
Consistent online tutoring has so many benefits for your child’s learning. We see students every day who are building confidence and acing their exams after working with our tutors.
Providing targeted 1:1 tutoring for your child can be a game-changer in supporting their education, which has an impact well into the future. With these top tips, you can choose the best tutor for your child and set them up for success at school and beyond!
If you need help finding a tutor or have any questions for us, get in touch today.