School shouldn’t rule your life! More than 300,000 Americans work as educators. They help students out so they can graduate, learn important subjects, and build productive careers.
However, not all educators act alike. Some people work as teachers, while others work as tutors. If you’re trying to help your child with their education, you need to know about a tutor vs. teacher.
What is a tutor, and what is a teacher? What are the skills that the best tutor and teacher will have? What are some factors you should consider before hiring a tutor?
Answer these questions and you can get the best resources for your child. Here is your quick tutor and teacher guide.
Tutors
A tutor is an educational professional who works outside of a school. Many tutors run one-on-one sessions with students, but some of them conduct small groups, especially for writing workshops. Some tutors are freelance while others work for private institutions.
You can hire a tutor through a community center or job board. You can arrange to have a tutor meet your child at any time, though most students like tutors after school.
There are no qualifications needed to become one besides knowledge of a particular subject. Tutors are not obliged to follow lesson plans or curriculums.
Tutors offer help to students, but their help is not comprehensive. They can help a student expand their knowledge of a particular subject that they learn in school.
You can find a tutor if you are an adult looking to expand your skills as well. Some professionals help adults with public speaking, driving, and cooking.
Some colleges and universities have special tutors called lecturers. As their name suggests, lecturers might give lectures or speeches in front of a group. But most of them work one-on-one with students during office hours so they can perform well in the classroom.
Teachers
A teacher is an educational professional who works inside an established school. Many teachers went to college and graduate school and received advanced degrees in teaching. Qualifications vary from school to school, but most teachers have master’s degrees.
Teachers follow curriculums from superintendents, school boards, and government bodies. They may have a limited amount of time to teach a particular subject. They also may spend time preparing students for standardized tests, especially at the elementary school level.
Teachers adapt their methods based on the type of school they work in. A teacher in a Montessori school may adopt a hands-off approach, giving students long blocks of time to get their work done. A teacher in a school for students with special needs may be more direct, giving students advice.
In general, teachers work in large classrooms. Though some districts impose caps, others do not, so classrooms may have dozens of students in them. This can make it hard for a student to receive the individual attention they need to develop their skills.
Some teachers have a background in tutoring. They may have tried tutoring in college, or they may tutor during the summer or off-hours.
Factors to Consider
Tutors and teachers have significant overlap. Both help students with their education, and both can act as mentors. But if you’re considering hiring a tutor, you should think about what distinguishes the two of them.
Experience
Some tutors have years of experience in their subjects. However, a lot of them do not. They may be honor roll students who perform well in school, yet they may not have the teaching background needed to help your child.
Teachers have experience both in their subject and with teaching. This means that they can work with students of all backgrounds and keep them focused on their assignments.
Educational Requirements
A child may need to meet several different requirements. Many elementary schools do not allow students to graduate if they do not meet the recommended reading level. In order to graduate from high school, your child may need satisfactory scores on standardized tests.
The best way to help your child meet these requirements is to find good teachers for them. They know about the requirements, and they adapt their materials so your child can meet them.
However, some tutors specialize in helping children with standardized tests. They can give your child practice tests and tell them what questions will be on the real test. You should hire a tutor if your child is nervous or struggling with practice tests in school.
You can also hire a tutor to help your child with the SAT, ACT, and other tests for college. Consider hiring one as your kid gets older.
Individualization
Teachers struggle with individualizing their materials. They have to teach a lot of students at once, and they can’t spend time working with each student by themselves. They may have office hours where students can visit them, yet a student must take the initiative and go to them.
Tutors are all about individualization. They get a sense of each student and how they learn, and they then adapt their lesson plan. They may work with students with special needs and learning differences better than teachers.
Tutor vs. Teacher
You need to know the differences between a tutor vs. teacher. A tutor helps students in private environments. A teacher works inside a school, working with students in classrooms.
Tutors may be accomplished students, not professionals. This means that you should ask a teacher to help your child if you want an experienced person.
However, tutors can help your child with special tasks like performing on standardized tests. They can also individualize their materials better than teachers can.
Get all the resources you can to help your child. Read more education guides by following our coverage.
