Tutoring vs Teaching: Two Sides of the Same Coin

With the myriad of instructional methods around today, it's a wonder that our kids aren't confused...well, maybe they are.  From online high schools that offer self-regulated students rigorous academic choices, to traditional public school settings where a one-size-fits all method is often implemented despite proclamations of differentiation, today's educational choices are almost endless.  Having taught in the public school system for over five years, I've noted a few drawbacks and benefits to each.  But before making a choice between the two, it's important to know what the two things you're comparing are and how they compare or contrast.

What is Tutoring?
I would argue that tutoring is teaching without an over populated classroom, without the politics, without many of the things that we as educators have just grown to accept as a reality of teaching in today's educational environment.  Tutoring involves the transfer of information from one person to another.  When you have the added credentials and education in your subject area, there is nothing less effective about tutoring than there is in classroom teaching, in fact historically this was how it was done.

What is Teaching?
In the past, teaching to the masses involved one or two teachers in a classroom full of bright, well-disciplined students eager to learn.  Today, however, classrooms are filled with students of varying abilities and levels of discipline, and there are a few other key people involved. The backstabbing co-teacher, the about to crack under the pressure administrator, and the Principal with their own agenda. The politics surrounding the classroom of today rivals that of the last Presidential election and is stifling many of the teachers who attempt daily to serve our kids.  Because their jobs, political careers and bonuses are dependent on scores and ranking, they will crush a new teacher without a blink.  Also, despite their claim of being student centered, actual concern about learning is secondary to test results and their personal agendas.

Sadly, many people think that with long summer breaks and sprinklings of holidays in between, that a teacher's life is a bed of roses.  "Teaching" in a school system is one of the most stressful,  underpaid, unappreciated and health depleting jobs I have ever encountered.  I have never been in a profession where I was hospitalized each year and dreaded going in to work each morning.  It resembles in many ways, a life of law enforcement, which is also a noble profession, but one that I never had any intention of pursuing.  One of the saddest things is that you rarely get to actually teach in the system and when you do, it's at a great cost. Even sadder than this is that we could do better.  It really doesn't have to be like this.  Our educational system needs revamping, but because I don't see that happening in the near future, I'd choose tutoring over teaching and here's why.

Tutoring Benefits
One of the best things about tutoring is that you can work with students one on one and learn about their specific strengths and weaknesses. Not only does the student benefit, so does the tutor.  Another thing is that you don't have to deal with the politics and testing pressure.  Politics and bickering over scores is not what helps students learn.  Targeted educational plans that focus on students' academic strengths and weaknesses are what help them learn. Tutoring offers this, which is why tutoring centers and companies are springing up all over the country and what used to be a supplemental industry is becoming more prominent.

Online teaching is becoming more prominent as well and blurs the line between "tutoring" and "teaching" even more.  With today's technology, it is extremely easy for me to prepare an entire curriculum, deliver it to one or more students and provide them with one-on-one assistance.  Gone is the overcrowded classroom with students, administrators and Principals vying for my attention.  I can provide focused and deliberate attention to a student's specific and unique needs. Sadly, this puts the issue of funding for education back on the table.  Public education is free, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. And although teaching and tutoring are two sides of the same coin, tutoring comes up heads.  As always, for more information about tutoring or to schedule a free consultation, visit Simply Tutoring.