Role of a Tutor and the Difference between a Teacher and a Tutor

A tutor’s job is to help students understand new concepts, provide extra lessons, clear doubts, and finish homework. They are a great resource to boost your confidence level and also improve your learning skills. They also help study lesson plans, carefully read textbooks to grasp the subject properly, and provide guidance for additional projects as necessary during a session as they prepare lessons.

There are a lot more differences between teaching and tutoring than you may imagine. A tutor’s role is to facilitate students’ learning in a more personalized and flexible manner while teachers handle big class sizes of up to 30 or more students.

Let us find out the difference between a teacher and a tutor in greater detail here.

What is the difference between a tutor and a teacher?

Here are the main differences between the roles of a teacher and a private tutor:

Number of students per session – tutors are privately hired and work one-to-one or with small groups for tutoring sessions, however, teachers take classes of 30 or more students, which are managed by the school administration.

Qualifications – Although tutors do not always require formal teaching qualifications, many have qualifications in the subjects they assist students with. Teachers on the other hand require minimum necessary qualifications (as directed by schools/colleges) to get a job as a teacher in a school.

Learning method – tutors are more concerned about individual goals rather than what an entire class needs. But, teachers have to be concerned about the performance of each student in a class.

Flexibility – tutors offer more personalized assistance than classroom-based teaching, whereas, teachers can give classes at predefined times and places.

Attention – tutors can provide detailed and immediate feedback. They can also give more attention to individual students. But, teachers have to focus on the entire class of 30 or more students at a time.

Also, read – School Responsibilities & Duties of Students for Success in Life

Roles and responsibilities of teachers and tutors

There are some basic differences in the roles and obligations of teachers and private tutors, despite their goal of facilitating, encouraging, and aiding learning.

What is a teacher’s role?

The role of a teacher is to,

• Manage a large class of students (could be 30 or more)
• Deliver/complete the school/class national curriculum
• Use teaching techniques and strategies that are beneficial for students
• Work during school hours and complete the day’s schedule.
• Manage students’ behavior in the classroom
• Give students the right amount of learning.

What is a tutor’s role?

A tutor’s roles include,

• Tutoring privately one-to-one or in smaller groups.
• Build further knowledge on what is taught in class, following the national school curriculum.
• Tailor sessions, teaching methods, and study materials to every learner.
• Clear doubts and cover topics that are incomplete.
• Help with homework, specific subjects, topics, projects, or learning skills.
• Offer more easy and flexible learning programs
• Encourage students to think independently and learn

Are tutors better than teachers?

Let us be clear about this now. One can not claim one is superior to the other! Children’s learning is vital to both teachers and tutors and the best outcomes are frequently obtained when they collaborate.

It is understandable that classroom teachers sometimes find it difficult to offer some students the attention they deserve due to the larger number of students in class and the time restraints that they face. Here is when tutoring can assist students who are falling behind their peers in realizing their full potential.

In simple words, tutors have more time and resources at their disposal to plan classes and accommodate various learning styles and objectives. Tutors are flexible in their approach and can adjust their teaching time according to the convenience of their students.

Also, read – Tutoring vs Teaching: Two Different Approaches to Help Children Learn Better

How tutors can be an advantage for students?

Each child is unique. Therefore, it is the job of both teachers and tutors to be very mindful of every child’s learning needs while teaching. It is crucial to keep in mind that various teaching methods and settings can be essential for effective learning. What may be suitable for one may not be suitable for another.

Private tutors work with students on a variety of subjects and methods, whether it is problem-solving, completing homework, doubt-clearing, or sharpening their communication skills.

Here are some situations where getting your child the right tutoring could be beneficial.

Supporting children with special educational needs

Children with special education needs are substantially different from those of the normal students in a class. An experienced tutor may assist students in enhancing their focus, progress, confidence, and love of learning through the use of customized lesson plans and the identification of the best learning styles for reading and writing to improve their overall skills and performance in exams.

Encouraging those gifted with special learning skills

A little more English and maths tutoring for your brilliant youngster can be just what they need to broaden their horizons and be motivated to succeed in their academic endeavors.

This can mean helping them participate in national events or giving them the self-confidence they need for their higher studies exams.

Improve their confidence level

Children may require a little extra encouragement and care in order to learn and increase their skills. Many times due to low self-esteem, they fail to ask questions in ‌class, and most of the time their doubts are not cleared. When it comes to comprehending English and math concepts in the classroom, confidence is essential. Therefore, it is very important to work on areas that help them improve their confidence level

Some kids may feel more comfortable stretching themselves and become intrigued about new subjects when they work in smaller groups or one-to-one classes. Knowledgeable and experienced tutors and mentors are enthusiastic about motivating students to become fearless and confident learners.

If your kid is anxious about going from elementary to secondary school, they might overcome the anxiety with the help of tuition classes.

A tailored study helps learners

Every learner is different, therefore a one-size-fits-all strategy does not work everywhere and with every child. You will find flexible tuition sessions in your locality to accommodate your study needs efficiently. To fit your schedule and study needs, you have the option to choose between online tutoring or in-person group tuition lessons at the center. Tutors provide tailored study help as and when you need it. You can ask your tutor to focus on areas and topics where you are weak or even ask them to help you with extra classes. So, tutors can offer you tailored study guidance, which is not possible for your school teacher, who has to follow the class curriculum and complete it within a specific time period.