Thursday, March 22, 2007

Web Tutoring is Becoming Easier for Everyone

It is becoming increasingly common for a school course to involve online tutoring as part of the curriculum. There are many large universities that offer online tutoring for free as part of being a student, as well as independent firms which will teach you in any area that you need to learn in. The advent of new and improved technology has made it easier for a student to get the help he or she needs, through the use of the various software applications offered by the web tutors. There are several different things that make it easier on those being tutored, and here I will describe some of the most popular technology.

First, you can use audio and/or video communication tools to feel a more personal connection with the tutor. Having a webcam set up to see the tutor face-to-face can be much more helpful than it sounds like. It is easy to find text tutorials on the internet, so if you are being tutored through text then it almost defeats the purpose. So try to find a tutoring opportunity that will allow you to use webcams, or at least microphones during the course of your sessions. This usually isn’t possible with a dial-up connection, but if this is a problem then you may also consider using the local public library.

The use of virtual whiteboards has been increasing tremendously lately, and by using one of them you can simulate a school environment even further. Using the mouse, keyboard, or even a touch screen or drawing pad, the tutor and student can work out math problems or draw diagrams that would not be possible with regular text. This works great and doesn’t require too much computational overhead, especially if you choose to use techniques that are not in real time (meaning the picture is only refreshed when the drawing of the chart or equation is completed).

Overall, the web tutoring industry is becoming more and more like a one-on-one, face-to-face session with a real teacher. If you are seeking tutoring, then this may be the choice that has been eluding you. With the right equipment and internet connection, you can get great assistance in subjects that trouble you. Find out at your school about the online tutoring options offered, or look up an independent tutoring company today.

Tutoring Jobs: Use Your Gifts to Help Others

Are you particularly skilled one certain area of education? Do math concepts come to you naturally, or do you know science inside and out? If so, you should consider becoming a tutor. There are so many opportunities for you to use your gifts for the betterment of your fellow human beings, and it may have some benefits for you as well. Some schools offer programs that allow you to receive credits or scholarships for tutoring in the learning centers of the school. You can also become a professional private tutor. In the end, it all depends on how serious you are about it, and what you are willing to work for.

Many of the tutoring opportunities you encounter will be volunteer work, for the credit or benefits mentioned above. Many schools offer programs that pair up high achieving students with the low achieving students, allowing both of them to experience benefits. You can also work in a learning center at your school. The hours are very flexible, and you are able to catch up on your own homework while you are waiting for someone to come in need of touring. It is a very laid-back position, and almost any knowledgeable person will be able to apply.

If you’d like to look at tutoring as more of a career than a volunteer position, you can start acting as a private tutor. Usually you will have to be extremely knowledgeable (an expert, practically) in a certain field, such as trigonometry, piano playing, chemistry, or anything else that will be in demand by students. You will also need a very personable and friendly personality, and have a good way of explaining things. As long as you are able to connect with your students and help them understand things based on their particular learning style, you are sure to get customers.

So if you feel that you are gifted in a certain area, or that you have a natural ability to explain things in a way that is easy to understand, then you should consider using your gifts to assist people. With benefits such as credit or scholarships, or even a full career in tutoring, there is no reason why you shouldn’t at least look into some of the opportunities to assist people in their learning. You will find that it is a rewarding experience, and self-improving to boot.

Tutoring: Not a Shameful Way to Catch Up

If you are taking college courses, you probably know as well as anyone that it can be easy to fall behind in your studies. If you fall out of your groove for just one day, you can be set off track for a while. Just miss class for a day, and you’ll be missing the notes you need to study for the next test, and your grade can be greatly affected. But if you are feeling like your classes have left you in the dust, you shouldn’t throw in the towel just yet. Most schools offer some sort of free tutoring, and you should take advantage of this. Even if you don’t feel like you need it very much, you should go in for a session anyway.

There are several different types and categories of tutoring services that can be offered by schools. The first is drop-in tutoring. These are usually small centers staffed by people who are fairly proficient in every subject. If you are taking general education classes and need help, these are the best people to turn to. But if you are in more advanced or specialized courses, then you may find that their scope of knowledge is not broad enough to accommodate your needs. No previous appointments or scheduling is required, hence the name.

Alternatively, you can hire a private tutor for the more specific subjects. If you are getting your PHD in any subject, you will most likely want to take advantage of this. The private tutors can offer you specific training, along with instruction on a more personal level than teachers of a regular class can offer. The hourly rate differs depending on the level of expertise that the tutor offers. There is no maximum or minimum amount of required tutoring time, so even if you just see your tutor for an hour a week then it will be an affordable and worthwhile expenditure.

So when you are looking for tutoring, just remember to keep an open mind to the new knowledge that they will be able to offer you. Also be sure to find a tutor with the level of experience and professionalism that will suit your needs. You will find that once you find a tutor that you can personally connect with, you will learn much more quickly and much more effectively than in the standard classroom environment.

Getting Private Tutoring to Help You Out

Seeing your child fall behind in class is never a fun thing. If your child is struggling to meet the expectations of the school, you should consider investing in a private tutor to help the child gain not only the knowledge, but also the confidence to succeed in class. Tutors can help your child as often or as infrequently as you would like, and they are available in any subject imaginable. Whether your child needs a boost in school-related subjects, or you would like him or her to be taught an instrument or foreign language, you will be able to find a tutor that can provide you with what you need.

Many parents express dissatisfaction with the extracurricular activities offered by public school systems. If you want something more useful for your child, private tutoring is the way to go. If you want your child to be bilingual, you can find local teachers who will train your child for an hourly fee. These are much more effective than language classes offered by schools, since the training can be personally tailored to suit the needs of your child. The same principles apply for private instrument lessons, if your child is musically gifted beyond the scope of the school’s lessons.

If this is not the type of tutoring you think will work, you can use tutoring that will be supplemental to the schooling your child is already taking. If your child has a learning style that is radically different than the teachings offered by the school system, one-on-one tutoring will allow him or her to get personalized teaching that will be much more effective. This is also useful if your child has been away on vacation during the school year. The tutors will help him or her to catch up with the rest of the class, without being overwhelmed by the teacher’s huge pile of missed worksheets.

Private tutoring may seem like an unaffordable luxury for you and your child, but if you want to provide him or her with a full and effective education, then it is something that you should consider. When a child doesn’t understand a concept in school, it can be destructive not only to the education, but also to the self esteem of the child. Interview some local private tutors, and see if you can find someone that you think will get along with your child.

Math Tutors Can Help With the Most Troublesome School Subject

A huge percentage of the population feels as though their math skills are below average. Since so many people feel this way, could it be that it is completely normal to have trouble with math? It’s certainly possibly. If you are taking a course in mathematics and you feel as though you are behind the rest of the class, you should see a math tutor. Math is one of those subjects that you need to stick with for the whole time, since each concept builds upon those already learned. If you miss one thing, you are almost guaranteed to miss everything after that.

When you go to a math tutor, you should show up with a specific question or problem in mind. It will be especially helpful if you have an entire list of problems, which you can then work through one by one with the guidance of the tutor. When you spend time with a math tutor, you need to make the most of it. So if you show up without a good idea of what you will ask, you will just end up wasting your time, and the time of the tutor. If you can’t really pinpoint what is the root if your trouble with the subject, just work through a problem together until you notice the point at which you seem to be lost.

Tutors usually have experience with teaching people who just can’t wrap their mind around a certain concept, and you should never think that you may be the exception. Anyone is capable of understanding mathematical concepts, and as long as you do the work on your part, you will be able to make the most of the services offered by the math tutor. But the more you think negatively about your own learning abilities, the more you will feel hopeless and frustrated. So if the tutor doesn’t seem to be helping your class performance, just consider that it may be your own attitude hindering you.

Rarely do people understand new and foreign math concepts the first time they are introduced. By going through the class and doing the required homework, you will be planting the seeds of knowledge. Sometimes this may not be enough, in which case you should consult the services of a math tutor in order to push you towards the understanding you need.