Posts Tagged ‘online tutoring’

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Online Tutoring: Which is the BEST?

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

It goes without saying that a good online tutoring program can open new door for your child. He/she can learn new concepts of math, English, science and other subjects with customized tutoring programs. The Internet had undergone radical changes giving birth to entirely new concepts, e-learning being one of them. Advanced tools such as VoIP, digital whiteboard, video conferencing and multimedia elements have made learning fun. Unlucky us as we did not have such technological gifts during our times!

The benefits of online tutoring are many- flexibility, convenience and affordability. What many parents find difficult is choosing the right tutoring program for their children. You cannot afford using the ‘trial & error’ method to choose a tutoring company that is the BEST.

The first thing that parents should look for in an online tutoring company is FREE trial. Using this feature, parents can access the teaching skills of an online math, online English, or online test preparation tutor. After having convinced yourself about the tutoring skills of the tutors, you should see what ‘new’ does that company has to offer. You should see to it that the tutoring company offers you the ‘flexibility’ to choose timings as per the convenience of you and your child.

It is a wrong assumption that an online math tutor holding many degrees in math would always be a good tutor. Pedagogy is the word to be understood and looked for while selecting an online tutoring company. Teaching is not a mechanical thing, it is an art. An online tutor need to know the art of imparting knowledge in a way that is best understood by the child.

Teaching a child 2 + 2 = 4 is not enough. An online tutor for math should be able to explain to the child why this is so. Same goes with ‘if plural of horse is horses, why is the plural of sheep not sheeps’. Teaching requires patience. Children do not want to study. This is a fact tutors must understand. Creativity is a useful skill for online tutoring, especially for young children.

It costs a lot to educate your child. Rising school fee, combined with exorbitant charges of a personal tutor might burn a hole in your pocket. Why to waste money when your child can have all the benefits of tutoring with an online tutor?

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Online Tutoring vs. Out-of-the-Class Programs

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Online tutoring is different from out-of-the-classroom programs- private tutors, after-school programs et al. But how? Why do we look for an apartment to rent in near our workplace? Why do we want the grocery shop and the hospital to be in our neighborhood? The answer is Convenience. When a child starts learning through an online tutoring program, audio, video and chat features come alive, and that too in real-time.

Online tutoring, besides being convenient, is incredibly effective. Here, you would find some of the proven benefits of online tutoring in contrast with the conventional methods of teaching.

No distraction

Being a form of home based learning, web-based tutoring eliminates the burden of commuting to a coaching center. Moreover, it provides peace of mind to the parents in the sense that it does not involve unfamiliar people visiting your house. Online tutoring, as against computer-based learning programs, does not let your child get distracted. Everything is under observation. With an online math or online English tutor, your child will not have the liberty to skip a lesson that he/she finds hard.

Tailor Made

Unlike most conventional learning methods, web-based learning provided your child with a personal touch. An online tutor would not teach what is just given in a book; the emphasis would be on creative ways to help your child learn. Using diagnostic tests, an online tutor would devise a customized program for your child.

Round the Clock Availability

Schools work in fixed hours, so do most learning centers. You cannot ask a learning center to teach your child according to your schedule. This is not the case with online tutoring. You get access to 24×7 support when you enroll your child for a web-based tutoring program.

Parent Involvement

Do you, as a parent, feel left out when it comes to discussing about your child’s progress a school? With an online tutor, you have the option to monitor your child’s progress at any given time.

More on features, less on the pocket

Once you are done understanding the advantages and relevance of online tutoring, you might want to learn about the rates! Would not $10 an hour be a true bargain? Whether it is math help, English learning, homework help or test preparation, a customized web-based tutoring program would still be light on your pocket.

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Online Tutoring: Flexible, Convenient, Productive & Affordable

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Sometimes, it becomes a little frustrating to learn something new. Children, in particular, face a lot of difficulty learning new ideas. And often their self-confidence suffers a serious setback. We all know what to learn. The school syllabus is good enough to tell us what to study. The question is – How to study? Online tutoring has a great advantage over other methods of teaching as it lays emphasis on focusing on one student at a time.

At school, a teacher has to address a class of more than 20 students in general. It becomes impossible for the teacher to be able to pay attention to every single aspect of the learning process of each child. But this is not the case with online tutoring. Unlike regular tutoring, online learning is affordable and fun. Children do not feel nervous studying with an online math tutor or online English tutor.

Another aspect that online tutoring takes care of is convenience, especially in case of test preparation. How many test preparation centers for the SAT test are located near your house? Every time your child commutes through heavy traffic to reach his test preparation institute, a lot of time and energy goes waste. And remember- Time does not wait for anyone.

With an online math tutor, your child would be able to learn math with convenience and ease. Moreover, you would be able to monitor your child’s progress in a better way in this case. Research has shown that children who study in front of their parents show better progress than those who don’t.

Does a private tutor guarantee flexible tutoring? At times, children feel sleep, or are in no mood to study. Online tutoring gives you the benefit of FLEXIBILITY. You have the option to choose the time that suits you and your child. How many times have you felt our temples wrinkle whenever you have to pay those hundreds of dollars for private tutoring? With online tutoring, you do not have to burn a hole in your pocket; it is very much affordable. Homework help and assignment help are some other advantages of studying online. The world is taking advantage of the benefits of learning on the web. Why lag behind?

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Homeschooling: School at home

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Homeschooling, a concept that dates back to those times when school attendance was not compulsory, has come back in an entirely new avatar, and caught the US educational unawares. According to the NHERI (National Home Education Research Institute), there are over 2 million homeschooled students in the US.

This might disappoint the supporters of the traditional schooling system and standardized tests (NCLB et al) those homeschooled students perform better not only in K-12 grades, but also in standardized exams like the ACT and SAT. (Read http://www.nheri.org/Research-Facts-on-Homeschooling.html to learn more).

A homeschool curriculum is flexible and effective. With issues like teen violence and drug abuse becoming commonplace, homeschooling seems to be the right solution. With a customized homeschool program, children can learn at their pace.

homeschool

Online tutoring takes homeschooling to the next level. With tailor-made homeschool curriculum, online tutoring allows you to set your own studying hours and monitor your child’s progress. Parents across the world are choosing homeschool over formal learning methods. Homeschooling, in fact, has been made legal in many developed nations. Researchers have shattered the myth that parents need have certified teaching experience for homeschooling their children.

Education should not force children to memorize concepts. Education, in the real sense, should make a child a responsible citizen. Homeschooled students, according to statistics, grow up into responsible, involved adults. Educating children at home can also let you control their eating habits- perhaps the best solution to Child Obesity. From improving academic performance to character development, a homeschool program can work wonders for your child, and you too.

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Multilingual Potpourri vs. English Tutoring

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

Some days back I was talking to a friend about the education system and requirements of the United States. We brought forth research statistics establishing the need for teaching math to US kids. We were shocked to find that according to a research conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the scores and rankings of 12 nations in the 2003 International Mathematics Assessments for Grades 4 and 8, US did not stand anywhere close to the top.

Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education shocked everyone by saying that “We are lagging the rest of the world, and we are lagging it in pretty substantial ways, I think we have become complacent. We’ve sort of lost our way”.

multiculture

Why the US needs English learning programs? The answer lies in multicultural and ethnical diversity. Hadn’t it been so, wouldn’t US have a national language? Presence of many dialects and languages add to the MTI (Mother Tongue Influence). Teachers and educators across the United States find it difficult to apply a single teaching system to kids belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.

Most American kids are not fluent in writing English. Moreover, spoken English among kids is also not grammatically correct most of the times. Use of slangs and so called ‘cool’ lingo makes the situation worse. Using the right combination of technology and teaching methodology, Online English tutors can simplify English learning to a great extent. Online English tutors should focus on three aspects of English- Grammar, writing, and speaking.

It’s time we shed some myths about the English speaking skills of kids in the US!

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Does your child have a Devil’s Workshop?

Friday, January 8th, 2010

The proverbial saying ‘An empty mind is a devil’s workshop’ is apt in the context of teenagers and children. Kids spend a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet. It pains to admit that teens are increasingly falling prey to the commercials broadcast on TV and elsewhere. Drugs and alcohol have become sort of style statement. empty_mind

Though issues like drug abuse and teenage pregnancy are troubling the whole of United States, often we miss the root of such burning issues. Any guesses? Call it boredom or idleness, teens across the world waste their previous time after school. Earlier, circumstances were quite different. Kids, after school, would either do their homework or go for their jobs.

The World Wide Web has opened a whole new world of entertainment and information for teenagers. There are innumerable websites that host valuable information. Wikipedia, for instance, contains information about almost everything. But can the same be said about social networking websites like MySpace or face book? While online interaction with people across different continents and culture can expose kids to a whole new environment, abuse of the same can lead to wastage of time, and health problems (sitting for long hours in front of the laptop/desktop).

Boredom can be definitely dealt with. How? Parental Involvement is a simple solution for addressing idleness among kids and teenagers. After-school jobs can keep kids occupied, thus preventing them from wasting time in unnecessary activities.

devil
Online tutoring can keep kids occupied while helping them learn new concepts and deal with the difficulty they face solving math problems or understanding a chemical equation. An online math tutor can spend 45-60 minutes with your child and teach the desired subject matter.
The next time you find your child sitting idle, visualize the devil’s workshop!

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Character Education: Implement before it’s Too Late

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Character Education is something that our education system needs badly. As basic moral values are slowly disappearing from our lives, we need to include character education to help our children understand values like honesty, love, compassion, and kindness. With angst and hatred taking center stage, the role of parents and teachers in enlightening their next-generation becomes indispensable.

character_education

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” This is a famous saying that rightly emphasizes on the importance of character.

Teaching character must not wait for the right time. Character education is not for a particular age group; it is for people of all ages. If moral values are taught to children at a young age, they grow into human beings who value life and believe in ‘love for all’ philosophy. The best thing about teaching character to children is that its results are visible in just a short period of time.

The world today desperately needs responsible, self-controlled, and compassionate individuals who can make positive choices. Juvenile Delinquency is at an all-time high. Blame it on the faulty education system or the prevailing political atmosphere, but it is the children who are suffering the most.

Character education is the answer to the nagging problems of our society. If every child starts ‘feeling’ for every other person, all hatred would disappear and a world would take shape where there would be no wars.

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What’s wrong with One-Size Fits All Approach?

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Many times parents complain that their child is not learning anything at school? Teachers lament that they have to look after a whole class of size 30 or more. Children complain of too much homework or ‘boring’ lessons. Is there a solution to all this?

There is a difference in the learning approach of every child. We all know that different children think differently. Then how can the same education pattern be implemented to one and all? While it is not possible to devise an entirely different syllabus for every single child, at least teachers should try to teach in a customized way.

one_size_fits_all

I read a quote some days back. This quote explains it all in just a single sentence- “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

Teachers and parents must try to implement the advice given in this saying. Children coming from different families, different cultures and of course different backgrounds can never be alike. Just because a mathematician created a theorem and gave the explanation/proof in a particular fashion does not at all mean that teachers should stop using their own brains to make the child understand the theorem in a way that he interprets properly.

Education should be fun. It should not pose as a scary thing for children. Online tutoring can provide your child with one-on-one learning, customized to meet his learning needs. A smart tutor would never make your child uncomfortable or burdened with boring math problems, biology diagrams, or chemistry equations.  After all, education aims at making our lives simple!

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Homework: Boon or Bane

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Apart from math and some other subjects, children share mutual hatred for homework. Completing homework assignments is a headache for both the child and parents. Research, however, points in the opposite direction. Experiments conducted by educators and scientists have shown that students who complete their homework get better grades in their tests in comparison to those who ignore homework.

Most children crib that they are given too much homework. While this is not 100% true, teachers should also ensure that quantity and difficulty level of homework assignments must match the child’s age and learning ability.

homework

Completing homework on time has a number of benefits. It allows children to develop a sense of responsibility. Children, by doing their homework, learn to complete tasks in the given time frame. Moreover, it helps children to work independently. Finally, the child feels a sense of accomplishment having completed his homework, provided teachers at school provide constructive feedback.

Parents should ensure that their child complete his homework on a regular basis, irrespective of his music/dance lessons. Fixing a time period for working on assignments can be a pretty good idea. It would be a smart move to create a study area for your child where there is adequate lighting, minimum distraction, and proper ventilation. Needless to say, televisions and music theatres should be kept away from the study area.

Online tutoring is one field that can provide homework help to your child. Assignment help provided by experienced tutors can help your child save a lot of time.

Availability of parents while a child is doing is homework can help the child complete his assignments easily. Parents should encourage their children to complete their homework. After all, homework is not that bad. Isn’t it?

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Geometry the Fun Way: Congruence

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

How often do teachers try to teach mathematical concept using objects used in our day-to-day lives? Research has shown that children understand things better when they are taught using images and objects that they see and use. Though most educators and parents know this, not many really implement this to educate children.

Take for instance, congruence of triangles. I am use most teachers would use the following images to teach ‘congruence’ to children.

congruence

The problem with these images is that children might not take interest in understanding the concepts as they do not find ‘fun’ in these.  While these images are good for senior students, a beginner in geometry might fail to understand the meaning of ‘congruence’.

However, the same can be taught in an interesting fashion.

congruence_scissors

congruence_closed

Online tutoring is a great way of teaching children using images and pictures. Modern tools like the whiteboard allow online tutors to import images and even change their alignment to teach a concept to children.  Online math tutors, in particular, can use images used in our day-to-day lives to teach mathematical concept to K-12 students in an interesting way.

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