There’s no shortage of tutoring options in NYC, and that can be overwhelming to parents. What’s better, a private tutor or one of the many New York tutoring centers? Like most parenting decisions, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. An approach that works wonders for one child may utterly fail with another.
If you ultimately decide to look for a private tutor, reach out to us to find the right person for your needs.
Here are a few areas to consider when deciding between a private tutor and a tutoring center.
Curricula
Most tutoring centers in New York have an established curriculum. This may be a proprietary or third-party curriculum, and the quality and type of these curricula vary widely.
Before you decide on a New York tutoring center, see if its curriculum meets your child’s needs and learning style. Often, tutoring centers are less able to adapt and stick to a specific structure, regardless of the particular child’s progress.
With NYC private tutoring, you and your child will have more control over what’s taught and how. Often, a private tutor will work directly with your child’s school materials, such as his or her textbook and homework assignments. He or she can adapt based on observation, often bringing in additional resources and personalizing lessons to your child’s needs.
Scheduling
This is an important consideration for families that may already be juggling a busy extracurricular schedule.
Tutoring centers in New York City have set hours, usually in the afternoon, evenings, and on weekends. While you may have many days and times to choose from, one downside is that your child may not always work with the same tutor.
Private NY tutors tend to have flexible schedules, and you’ll work together to decide on the time and location, usually in your home or a public location, such as a library.
Additionally, private tutors may offer greater flexibility to change the time or meet irregularly, while tutoring centers often require you to sign up for weekly tutoring packages at the same day and time.
Additionally, private tutors in New York will often make themselves available via email during off-hours for tasks such as looking over a paper or homework, which typically isn’t offered by tutoring center employees.
Personal Attention
NYC tutoring centers usually offer group as well as one-on-one tutoring. However, even in one-on-one tutoring, your child is less likely to receive truly personalized support from a tutoring center in comparison with a private tutor. This is due to the fact that, as mentioned above, he or she may meet with a different tutor every week, and typically, the tutors will not communicate with your child outside of the session.
For some children, this approach is difficult. They may have a harder time opening up about the trouble they’re facing in their NY school, and the tutors may not be able to accurately assess their progress or spot learning obstacles.
Typically, private tutoring in New York is only done on a one-on-one basis. Because of this, the private tutor can get to know your child, develop a relationship, and spot your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The tutor may also send your child reminders or provide you updates on progress and areas of concern.
Additionally, if you or your child’s teacher suspect your child has a learning disability, make sure to find out whether your NYC private tutor has the experience necessary to both assess the problem and help your child overcome it.
An NYC Private Tutor or a Tutoring Center: Which Is Best?
When looking at your tutoring options in NYC, think about your child’s personality, learning style, and academic needs. Also consider how the tutoring would fit into your family’s schedule.
And ask private tutors or tutoring companies about their experience and approach. You can use our contact form to learn more about the private tutors we offer.
Once you decide, be sure to monitor your child’s progress with his or her tutor. Test scores are an important consideration, but also look at your child’s comfort level, motivation, and interest. Often, those skills will pay off more in the long run, even if they don’t appear in your child’s grades immediately.