If you and your child have never experienced a tutoring session, it’s natural to have a preconceived notion of what you think such an after-school program might look like.
In fact, unfortunately, all that you might feel about tutoring at this point is negativity—oh my gosh, my student is failing and needs a tutor. Or oh my gosh, my student just can’t test well and needs help.
In reality, though, tutoring can be an extremely positive, valuable learning experience for students who simply need one-on-one instruction for any one of a number of reasons.
What is an after-school tutoring program?
An after-school tutoring program is one that connects students who want or need to focus on a specific academic topic with individuals like teachers, advanced students, or subject matter experts.
These types of programs can take place on a one-to-one basis or in small groups; in-person or online. And, while most of them take place right after school - hence the name - they can also include experiences that take place outside of school, for instance, on the weekends.
Why do children need after-school tutoring?
Again, while the mind tends to associate tutoring with struggling students who simply can’t keep up in the everyday classroom, that’s really not the case. After-school tutoring is of course available in those instances, but it’s also an experience a child can turn to when they want to learn more about a topic that might not be touched on much in school, as is the case with coding tutoring, or even more specialized with python tutoring, etc.
What types of after-school tutoring programs are available?
As mentioned, tutoring can come in a number of different shapes and sizes. Here are a few of the most common types.
Private tutoring
This is probably the most traditional type of tutoring, and the one that most people think of when hearing the word. It’s a one-on-one learning experience where the subject matter expert meets with the student to focus on a specific topic or learning goal, ask and answer questions, go through practice problems, and more.
Group tutoring
In some cases, students can get much of what’s mentioned above but in a group setting, say, with a few other students who are all focused on the same goal. For example, think about standardized test prep and how there will be groups of kids who simply want to start at square one in learning about and preparing for the questions they’ll soon be tested on.
At-school/peer tutoring
In terms of where tutoring can take place, one option in many schools is a designated tutoring center or area where students can sign up for peer-tutoring with another student who is proven to be proficient in a particular academic area.
Online tutoring
Growing in popularity is online tutoring for kids and teens, where students can experience what’s mentioned above, only online rather than in-person.
That said, there are also a number of online tutoring programs that offer one-on-one lessons in topics not traditionally associated with tutoring like Minecraft and Fortnite, in addition to those everyday school subjects like math tutoring and more.
Tutoring centers
You might be one of many who actually started thinking about the idea of tutoring based on the many tutoring centers you’ve seen when driving around your local community. This includes options like Kumon, Mathnasium, and others.
The teaching and learning process will differ by center, but the idea typically remains the same, only this time the learning takes place within a brick and mortar setting that isn’t school or home.
What is the cost of after-school tutoring?
Cost of after-school tutoring will vary depending on a number of factors as outlined above—number of students, location, duration, tutor expertise, and more will all impact prices.
For instance, there are many free tutoring options available, while others will cost a certain amount per hour, or can be subscribed to through different packages. As an example, chess tutoring can cost $71/lesson (one hour) or as little as $60/lesson for a subscription pack of 12 lessons.
What are the benefits of after-school tutoring?
Many parents turn to tutoring for the overall benefit of improving their child’s understanding of a particular subject. Through that activity, though, there are a number of other benefits of after-school tutoring including:
- An outlet for kids to ask questions, ease frustration, and build confidence.
- Deeper learning beyond the surface of a particular subject.
- Wider learning outside of traditional classroom subjects.
- Personalized learning that caters to student circumstances.
All said, after-school tutoring isn’t something parents and students should fear. Beyond solving any challenges kids might be having in their everyday schooling, tutoring comes in different forms, offers positive benefits, and allows kids and teens to not only grasp general concepts, but expand their learning across new and different academic horizons.