Tutoring makes a big difference in the academic achievement and success of students

BY PAUL JUNOR

The growth of private tutoring companies has increased exponentially within the past few years. Tutoring is a billion dollar industry according to the September 4^th, 2015 Financial Post. Given the fact that currently in Ontario’s public education system, there is a work-to rule by elementary and secondary teachers. This means that there is less direct support available for students to get help. Initiative to provide extra support to increase EQAO scores has decreased. There is an immediacy urgency for students to obtain additional help through tutoring to fill the academic void that students and parents face.

According to Chandler–Gilbert Common, “Tutoring is by definition a one-to–one or small group activity where a person who is knowledgeable and has expertise in a specific content area or discipline provides tutelage, help or clarification. The goal of tutoring is to assist students to become independent learners and increase their motivation to learn. Tutoring works because the tutor provides timely, relevant, clearly explained help that is targeted to the student’s specific needs. Free from interruptions, peer pressure and fear of failure, tutoring creates an environment completely conducive to learning.”

There are many benefits that the individual student can obtain if they are guided by a competent tutor. Across the Greater Toronto Areas (GTA), there are many privately operated tutoring  centers. Cambridge Tutoring (cambridgetutoring.net) advertises its services as an educational consulting one. Kumon – which was started in Japan in 1954 by a father Toru, who simply wanted his son, Takeshi to develop a love for learning is the world’s largest after-school learning program which is focused on building the reading and math skills of students. Each student who is enrolled in Kumon Math receives math worksheets which takes about 30 minutes to complete in two sessions a week at a Kumon center and five additional assignments which have to be done at home. Each child works at their own pace and once mastery occurs, they move on. Information can be obtained at www.kumon.ca //locations.

Sylvan Learning has more than 800 franchises across Canada. Oxford Tutoring is another tutoring service where “We Teach The Way You Learn,” is promoted by their website at oxfordtutoring.com.  According to its website, “It is about students above all. We are a place that facilitates one-one-one connections between teachers and students so instruction is meaningful, coherent and accessible to the child. This requires that our teachers know information ‘in and out’ and they turn it around, explaining it in various ways, integrating method of: hearing and seeing and doing that captures the student’s interest and connects with the way they learn.” This is a big difference from the Kumon method which emphases drill and repetition.

It is important that parents/guardians who are interested in tutoring for their children shop around and do their homework. Spirit of Math has been offering after-school math programs for over 30 years. JUMP Math a registered non-for-profit organization promotes numeracy based on the belief that all students can learn math. Mathnasium Learning Center is Canada’s Leading Math franchise, which offers franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs who are trained to teach mathematics. It provides a business model that helps one to learn what to teach and how to teach.  Parents/guardians; the choice is yours. There are ways, in which we can support our students, and we have to find a way to do so effectively and in a way that works for us.