What makes a great tutor?

Education is something that can change the direction, outcome, and path of students for years to come. It is one of the most integral parts of building ones’ character as well as helping define and shape who they are. It is important to understand what makes a great educational system and the primary factor is the educator themselves. As technology develops, curriculums change and many other variables effect the learning of students, it’s always important to understand the emphasis of learning should always be on the educator themselves.

So what makes a great educator? Everyone can think back to when they were in school and had many great teachers, as well as many poor teachers. At Peak Tutoring we always focus on three qualities when hiring our tutors: Knowledge, Personality, and Passion. These qualities are the three most important qualities to look for in educators and tutors.

Knowledge

If a tutor isn’t knowledgeable of a subject how are they to then transfer that knowledge to someone else? Being knowledgeable in the subject is extremely important as it allows a tutor or educator to dig deeper into the concepts. Tutors who are knowledgeable about the subject can show the correlation between one concept to another concept and then highlight how the concepts are useful in real life applications. Students will be more attentive to a tutor who is knowledgeable as they feel they can learn much from them. Students are smart and can quickly decipher whether someone knows the material or doesn't.

Personality

This is one of the most important qualities within a great tutor and educator. Think back to in school and all the teachers you’ve had…do you remember any? Most likely the teachers you remember are the great ones and the poor ones. The great ones are the teachers who you remember would jump on desks to explain coordinate geometry and different quadrants, they would make jokes that would engage students and you would think they were being “cool”, they are the educators who are able to able to relate to students and get them excited about learning and interested in learning. At Peak Tutoring this is the most important quality we look for when hiring our tutors. Tutors aren’t there just to teach someone something, but they are there to inspire someone. They can get students excited and interested in a concept by adapting their personality to best suit the students’ personality and tailor their teaching specifically to that student.

Passion

Remember that teacher that would stay late after class and help you with any questions you may have? Or the teacher who would create extra study sessions for students when they aren’t understanding a chapter or unit? Passion of an educator and the passion to help people is extremely important, our tutors' tutor because they love helping people and helping students realize and attain their dreams and goals that may not have been attainable before.

These are just three qualities we believe that makes a great tutor or teacher (there are many others). These are also the three qualities we primarily look for when we are hiring our tutors at Peak Tutoring. Hiring a great tutor is one of the first steps to providing a great fulfilling learning experience for students and begin changing someones life.

Be sure to check out next weeks blog post on: Why Learning Centers Struggle

Increasing Class Sizes in Alberta

Class sizes overall are increasing across Alberta and this is presenting a huge problem for many students. A vast majority of students are able to demonstrate a much easier learning process when they are able to receive more personalized attention in the classroom. As class sizes continue to increase in the ratio of students to teachers grows larger, this presents a real problem for students that need extra help.

In most cases across Alberta the class size for students in grade 4 to grade 8 range from 22 to 23 students per class. While high school class sizes in Calgary range from 25.8 to 29.9 students per class. With just one teacher for all of these potential students it can be very difficult to actually provide personalized attention. This means that if a student has a question about a math problem, needs one-on-one explanation for a concept or needs extra help after class, the answers may not be readily available.

Introducing Peak Tutoring or afterschool help from a professional tutoring Calgary can ensure that students are getting the one-on-one attention that they require for learning new tasks. Having a Peak Tutor is like having a teacher available once a week or even multiple times a week that can take students through the concepts that they need to learn to stay with the class or even excel beyond class expectations. Peak Tutors focus not only on increasing students academic performance but also act as mentors and will most importantly help increase students confidence.

This type of personalized review from an educational assistant can make up for the increasing class sizes in Alberta and ensure that students are set up well for their high school experience as well as potentially even their university or college experience.

As class sizes will only continue to increase across Calgary and the province of Alberta, the need for tutors only increases. Unfortunately teachers do not have time to see all of these students for extra help or to provide in class answers.

If your child is having difficulty performing at curriculum levels or they would like to proceed beyond their grade level, a tutor is an excellent idea.  

References:

"Class Size  |  About Class Size." About Class Size. Alberta Education, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.

"The Alberta Teachers’ Association." New Data Highlights Class Size. N.p., 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.

Why a Tutor is Great for Students

A tutor can be great for students for a number of reasons. If your child is not currently performing at curriculum standards or they are having difficulty with various concepts that could hold them back, a tutor can provide the personalized attention a child may need to succeed. A tutor can also increase a students understanding of concepts and can challenge the student beyond what is required.

Everyone learns in different ways and particular teachers may not have time to provide several different lesson plans and review structures to handle one aspect of their required curriculum. With class sizes increasing and with many teachers not opting to provide extra out of class help, a tutor can be an excellent ally for students at any level for reviewing and improving educational progress.

A tutor can provide a number of huge advantages to students:

One-on-one learning support: one-on-one time with the teacher has become a rarity for many students and if kids are able to get one-on-one learning support from trained educational professionals they can often thrive in learning new concepts. The one-on-one experience allows a personalized learning experience for the student, our tutors can not only provide better understanding for the current concepts but can also challenge students and help them achieve beyond what is required.

Building a foundation: early concepts in mathematics, English and more can help to improve a child's educational progress and attitudes toward education as they develop as students. Building this basis at an early age with the help of a tutor can help students to thrive to not only meet the curriculum standards but exceed them.

Becoming a well-rounded student: most students have trouble in at least one or two areas of the curriculum. With strength based training tutors can spend time working with children on some of their weaker skills and then start working on subjects that they are strong in to give children added confidence.

Transitioning and performing at grade levels: Transitioning into a new grade can be difficult or into a new school entirely. With the help of a tutor a child can get up to standard faster as well as perform at or above their grade level which can help with educational confidence.

Keep some of these top ideas in mind for why a child should consider tutoring.

References:

Corey Kagan Whelan in Waltham, MA. "10 Reasons You Need to Hire a Tutor." Care.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.

Kenitz, Dan. "Why Do So Many Students Need Tutoring?" Professor's House. N.p., 29 Oct. 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.