Many families look to private tutors to help their child academically. With so many options available, you may be wondering where do I even begin? Let’s explore the two most common types of tutoring available through reading and math clinics and tutoring centers.
Reading & Math Clinics
What are learning clinics?
Reading and math clinics are centers that provide specialized instruction and remediation to students with unique learning needs.
Who should attend a learning clinic?
Learning clinics are designed to support students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Whether they have been previously evaluated for a learning disability or not, students who are performing significantly below grade level and/or find learning difficult are best suited for this type of support, as opposed to any other type of tutoring. In order to make the greatest gains, they need an environment that not only understands their needs, but also has experience and expertise in working with these types of learners.
Instructors/Staff
Reading and math clinics employ highly credentialed and experienced professionals. They are specialists in their content or field with advanced degrees, training, and licenses/certifications.
Goal of Reading & Math Clinics
The goal of a learning clinic is to provide a prescriptive remediation plan, specific to the students' needs. This could include closing students' academic gaps in learning and/or teaching students strategies that are necessary to support their needs. In addition to the actual instruction, learning clinics typically also provide diagnostic assessments, as well as comprehensive assessments to identify learning difficulties or disabilities.
Tutoring Centers
What are tutoring centers?
Tutoring centers are traditional learning centers that provide academic support by grade level. This is typically done by supporting students with what they are currently learning in the classroom through additional practice or homework help. Additionally, tutoring centers may also provide enrichment opportunities for students who are working above grade level.
Who should attend a tutoring center?
Students who are performing slightly below grade or are on/above grade level, would benefit most from tutoring centers. This is also ideal for students who may just need a slower pace of learning than what was presented in the classroom, but are able to catch up quickly with additional instruction and repeated practice.
Instructors/Staff
Staff at a traditional tutoring center, especially large chains or franchises, may or may not employ certified teachers. In fact, oftentimes, tutors that work at these types of centers are students themselves or those without a background in education.
Centers that hire certified teachers are likely able to better provide academic support than those that do not. Additionally, there are certified teachers with advanced degrees and training in their content area that also work at tutoring centers. If your child is able to be tutored by a specialist, this is the most ideal option.
Goal of a Tutoring Center
The goals of traditional tutoring are typically centered around grades in school. These are the best measures of success since this type of tutoring focuses on current grade level learning.
How do you decide which is best for your child?
The best way to decide if your child would be best served at a learning clinic or tutoring center is to think about your child as a learner.
Are they someone with learning difficulties/disabilities? Perhaps they are someone who has been tutored in the past with no significant progress. If so, a learning clinic is the most appropriate setting for them to receive the support they need.
Does your child typically perform satisfactorily, but they aren’t reaching their potential? Or maybe as a parent, you don’t have the time in the evenings or are unable to support your child with homework. Either of these scenarios would suggest that tutoring centers are the best option for your child.
Unfortunately, student needs aren’t the only driving force behind the decision between the two.. Learning clinics, because of the need for highly credentialed staff, aren’t readily available in all areas. If this is the case, you may want to explore additional options as a tutoring center will not likely yield the best results because often times, they don’t employ staff that are equipped with the skills and experience to provide intensive individualized reading and math therapy.
Making the decision to enroll your child in a reading or math clinic or tutoring center can be a worthwhile investment.
How can ProLearning help?
Fortunately for those in the Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding areas, ProLearning is centrally located in Arlington. ProLearning operates as both a reading and math clinic with certified reading and math specialists and dyslexia therapists, and as a tutoring center, also with certified educators.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help meet the needs of your child!