Trust me...they are not the same.
Over the last few months, you've been dealing with faulty technology, cancelled classes, distracted kids, the whole nine. As a result, your kids are falling behind and losing confidence in their studies. You're now stuck with the decision of whether or not to send your child back to school. The last thing you want to hear is "virtual tutoring." We get it! But what if I told you that virtual tutoring was the answer to your virtual nightmare?
Hear me out...
When you think about virtual learning, remember your child's teacher (as phenomenal as they are) is juggling 20-30 kids on one Zoom call. Talk about stressful! However, virtual tutoring is 1-on-1! Your child will automatically get the attention and support he/she needs to be successful academically. They can asks all the questions, take as much time as they need to work out a problem, and not have to feel like the teacher is going too fast or too slow. No distractions, no hiding behind classmates, just the tutor and the student.
Another thing...
Affluent schools have been using technology years before it was introduced to urban and minority communities (systemic oppression in education is REAL). Now, we are seeing this constant use of technology in our own schools. Students are completing homework virtually, typing essays, even standardized tests are administered online. But what happens when the child is unable to reach their academic goals because they are unsure of how to use the virtual supports? For this reason, we want our children to know how to navigate these activities and platforms successfully so they can focus on content and not technology malfunctions. This is something we focus on during virtual tutoring.
And lets not forget the elephant in the room...The Rona.
Unfortunately, desperate times call for desperate measures. For some families, virtual tutoring is their only option due to sick family members or quarantining. For others, virtual tutoring seems synonymous to virtual learning and that scares most parents. Remember this though, kids know how to use technology. They were born doing it! They know how to navigate Instagram, TikTok, Minecraft, Fortnite and all sorts of things online. Regardless if they have an IEP or EIP, they still know how (and will have to use) technology.
Ultimately, we miss working with our children face-to-face, but that shouldn't stop us from working all together. TRY. IT. OUT. You may come to love virtual tutoring like many of our clients have. Or you may not like it and that’s okay too! I just want you to have all the information before you decide against virtual tutoring when your child needs support most.
Like your mom/dad/grandma/auntie used to say, don’t knock it til you try it!