I remember when my sister had a phobia in math during her 8th grade. She did not have the most reassuring teacher back then. Every night, they were supposed to study a lesson that would only be discussed the following day, and the teacher always expected them to ace the quiz before the class starts. Of course, it was a pretty impossible feat for average students, but the mentor did not seem to understand that. She proceeded to make the students without perfect marks remain standing for the entire period.
No matter how angry my parents were at the math teacher, they could not do anything about it. After all, she was not giving the students corporal punishment—she only made them stand up. The teacher was never direct at humiliating the not-so-intelligent kids, too. Hence, all my parents could do was hire a private tutor for my sister.
This private tutor came in the form of my mother’s best friend, a college professor. She was kind enough to visit my sister at home and give her one-on-one lessons from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. daily. I wanted to peek in sometimes because I was curious about how it worked, but my parents always persuaded me not to do it. According to them, I might distract the two and prevent my sister from learning well.
When I asked my sister about her tutoring experience, she said she was shy to ask her tutor about the mathematical stuff she did not understand. But as she became more accustomed to the main reason why the private teacher was there, she started to absorb everything. Thus, whenever her real math teacher would give them a pop quiz about a new topic, it did not surprise her anymore, and she managed to pass the tests with flying colors.
Now, I know that some of you may have the same problem as my sister in math or other subjects. If you are still hesitant to get a private teacher, online or not, I hope you get over it soon. In truth, tutors are great, and they won’t let you down. Think of a private tutor as your lesson hero since that may be the only person who can save you from having failing grades.
Still not convinced? Here are some of the advantages of studying with a private tutor:
Pick Your Tutor
Yes, my dear, you can pick the tutor that you want to help you with your studies. It is not like in school where you do not have a say on who teaches your class. With private tutors, you do not have to stick to a smart but strict one when you can have a bright and friendly tutor, so bear that in mind.
Ask Questions Without Being Laughed At
I believe that asking questions without being laughed at is the main advantage of having your private teacher. If you are in a standard classroom setting with lots of other students in the background, some bullies will undoubtedly turn you into a laughingstock for wanting to learn more about the topics that still feel unclear to you. On the other hand, your private tutor will take your question thoughtfully and try to explain the answer without further complicating things.
Find Interest Towards The Subject
A private tutor is quite different in a way that they will try various techniques to make a subject more interesting and understandable for you. I do not intend to generalize all homeroom teachers, but some can act so jaded sometimes that they care less whether you learn something from today’s lesson or not.
As in my sister’s case, math became her most-hated subject because her teacher did not want to bother teaching lessons before testing their knowledge. However, when the tutor taught her everything from the basics, she realized that numbers were not her enemy.
Shorten Your Lessons
Private tutors cannot bore you with all the talks about a particular topic because they are allowed to narrow it down to the most critical points. If they can explain it in 30 minutes, they will do it. This way, your brain will not be oversaturated with information, and you won’t lose interest in the subject at all.
Final Thoughts
My sister grew up and went to college to obtain an Engineering degree. This field requires you to have a deep understanding of math, so it shows how far she has come from being that middle-school student who was afraid of numbers.
If group learning is not working well for you, try a one-on-one session with a private tutor. My sister merely got lucky because we were already close to one, but you can choose anyone you like. Who knows, this may be the start of a better learning experience for you.