How We Differ From a "Big Box" Tutoring Center

Depending on where you live, it may seem like a tutoring center is popping up on every corner. Where I used to live in Texas, you couldn't go more than two miles without seeing one. To some, this spike in tutoring centers indicates an increase in students who aren't getting what they need from traditional public education and who must seek help to keep up. To others, it indicates that as a nation we are investing more in our own children's education. Wherever you fall on this, one thing is for sure- there are a TON of tutoring centers out there for every type of grade, subject, and test.

So, why might you choose a small private tutoring group over a big box company?

The point of this article isn't to convince you that you shouldn't go to Sylvan or Kumon, or that they aren't good establishments for some families. Instead, I am going to give details on how a small tutoring group that focuses on personalized learning is different from these chains. We understand that each student has unique needs, and we know students who work well within the big box tutoring environment. We also have had plenty of students come into our tutoring group after trying tutoring chains that weren't working for them. Each setting has it's own merits.

How a small tutoring group is different than a chain tutoring center:

1. We don't follow a set curriculum.

Often tutoring chains will dictate how their tutors or teachers deliver content. This ensures that all students who attend the center are getting the same education. These chains have usually developed a "system" to test and then instruct students in order to get results.

At our small tutoring group, we don't follow a set curriculum. We instead trust our tutors to plan unique lessons that address each student's needs. Giving our tutors this freedom leads to a lot more variability in how one lesson looks compared to the next, but we believe that just as every child is different so should every lesson. Our tutors get results by customizing their lessons to each child, while also having conversations about mindset.

2. We hold our tutors to a high standard

Many chain tutoring centers hold their tutors to a high standard and require that their tutors possess a teaching certificate and a bachelors degree, though some require less experience. We also require that all our tutors possess at least a bachelor's degree as well as a teaching certificate. To go above and beyond, we choose tutors who are passionate about personalized education and who show dedication to continually learning new teaching techniques and philosophies to help their students.

3. We are affordable

We try to have value focused pricing. In many areas our hourly rate is lower than a chain store's hourly rate for one-on-one tutoring. Since our group provides tutoring online, you also save money on gas!

4. We're available

Part of the value you receive when you work with us is that we are available to you. You have the best way to contact the founder and your tutor available to you, so that you can express any concerns you have. We are also always willing to chat about things that are going on at school that have you stressed or worried. We are on your team, and we take that very seriously!

5. We're not all about test scores and grades

Although we understand the need for assessments and grades in seeing where a student needs help, we don't consider scores the end all be all. Often schools and education companies can get caught up on test scores, which can leave your child feeling less than. Though our students often see an increase in scores and better grades, that's not our main focus. We aim to help our students learn material in a way that works for them, and to learn to love learning again. We want our students to have a deep understanding of the concepts they are working on. Though we understand the importance of grades, and we aim to help our students improve their grades, we don't stress our students out about them. We know our students are more than just a grade and we teach them accordingly.