A GUIDE TO TUITION
New to tuition? Here are our frequent questions and answers
This is a guide for those who are new to tuition, however, the specifics of any arrangement should be agreed with a chosen tutor.
HOW MUCH DO TUTORS NORMALLY CHARGE?
Tutors in the Edinburgh and Lothian area normally charge between £25 and £40 per hour. Factors that affect the cost can include level of study, travel to tuition and availability.
WHEN AND WHERE DOES TUITION TAKE PLACE?
In the past, tuition has normally taken place at the student's home, although it is sometimes conducted at another venue (e.g. a café) or at the home of the tutor; with sessions normally in the afternoon, evenings or at the weekend.
Due to COVID-19 we, like many other tutors, have made the move to online learning via one of the many platforms available - e.g. Zoom, Skype.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A SESSION?
Sessions vary widely depending on the needs of the student and style of tutor. You should always discuss your needs at the beginning of the partnership as well as any assessment deadlines or time pressures. An average hour long tutoring session could consist of reflection on last session's learning or homework, discussion of any issues arising / skill to be developed that session and structured practice.
HOW IS OUR ONLINE TUITION DIFFERENT?
We have found that this new way of 'distance tutoring' brought about by COVID-19, has added a significant layer of flexibility and effectiveness in learning for our students.
The weekly hour of tuition is normally split into two half hour sessions with questions set for the student to work through independently between the times that we see them. Sessions can now be easily rearranged or missed sessions caught up because we are not physically meeting.
Moreover, instead of one hour of constant tuition most of our students have half an hour on one day, independently practice skills and questions set by us in between the sessions, and then return to deal with errors, consolidate learning and extend in the second half hour on another day.
WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU PROVIDE / NEED?
Normally tutors prefer to use whatever resources the student already is familiar with, and supplement these with appropriate material from a variety of sources. It is also beneficial to provide a exercise jotter or pad and folder for work completed with the tutor to be kept - so as not to confuse it with school work.
Obviously, with online tuition, access to a larger screened device tends to work better than a mobile phone.
DO STUDENTS NEED TO COMPLETE HOMEWORK?
The giving of homework should be discussed prior to your sessions with the tutor to allow for the consolidation of skills but to avoid any unnecessary pressure on the student.
PRIVATE TUITION OR STUDY CLASSES?
Private tuition is a great way of providing one-to-one support for a student, however, not all students thrive under the social pressure from working in what they can see as an ‘over the shoulder’ environment. Study classes can therefore provide an excellent way of ensuring the student has access to a similar level of support but in a more relaxed working atmosphere. They can also provide a more affordable option of supporting students throughout a presentation year.
Unfortunately, we are not running Study Sessions for the foreseeable future.