One size fits none: Why Ontario students are seeking out personalized tutoring, Canada Reviews

When students enter high school, they’re thrown into a whole new world. Expected to learn at the same pace and in the same style as their peers, standardized classroom models mean that students can get left behind. Whether it’s enrichment beyond what’s being offered in a class setting or customized instruction, high schoolers would benefit from educational support more tailored to their unique needs. That’s where tutoring comes in: offering personalized learning and results that have been shown to outperform standardized models, students can expect not just stronger grades and post-secondary preparation, but increased academic confidence.

The limitations of traditional classroom learning

In Ontario, our education system follows a standardized curriculum in a traditional school setting. Large groups of students gather on a set schedule to follow the instruction of a single teacher for set periods of time. While this model has its benefits for many students — a rigid schedule and group setting could be helpful for those who need more structure and routine and thrive off of peer-to-peer support and socialization — it also has major drawbacks for others.

With large class sizes, it’s impossible for teachers to provide individual attention to each student. Those who need extra support or more specific instruction might struggle to keep up with lessons. And a fixed curriculum allows little room for flexibility, both in terms of personalization of teaching methods and learning pace.

A child whose learning style doesn’t align with these traditional structures may not have their educational needs met within the classroom. The one-size-fits-all approach overlooks students who need more time to process and understand new concepts, for example, or those who get easily distracted by busy environments and need more one-on-one time to focus. It also overlooks students who learn at a faster pace and seek further enrichment.

The benefits of personalized tutoring

For children who struggle within a traditional teaching environment, tutoring offers a personalized and tailored learning experience with measurable benefits. Students can expect stronger academic outcomes, improved long-term learning habits, high-level preparation for post-secondary education and increased confidence.

Research led by University of Toronto economics professor Philip Oreopoulos found that tutoring consistently improves academic achievements. In conducting a meta-analysis of 96 randomized controlled trials of tutoring programs, they found that students randomly selected to receive tutoring in math or English outperformed their peers more than 80 per cent of the time.

Tutoring also regularly outperforms other common educational strategies, such as incentives, after-school programs, summer programs, psychological interventions, professional development for educators, curriculum changes, cooperative learning and coaching students. A 2017 meta-analysis of over 100 studies that looked at the impact of these different interventions on the academic achievement of students with low socioeconomic status in OECD countries, including Canada, found that tutoring was the most effective intervention.

By providing one-on-one, customized learning plans based on each individual, tutoring addresses many of the problems that arise in traditional classroom environments. Students receive personalized, curriculum-based instruction at a pace that suits their needs. Tutors can also employ different teaching styles based on the student, accommodating a child who might process new information better through visual, hands-on learning rather than lecture-based instruction. For a student who has faced challenges within the school environment, the focused support from tutoring can improve both their academic outcomes and confidence back in the classroom.

Navigating academic pressure in Ontario

Between Grades 9–12, there’s mounting pressure put on both parents and students academically. Parents want to see their child succeed in the classroom and beyond, looking ahead to what their post-secondary life will look like. Students, surrounded by peers planning for their futures as well, feel increasing pressure on their academic performance.

This is only heightened by the fact that, in Ontario, high school grades are rising, meaning expectations for those coveted post-secondary education spots are, too. Data comparing the Grade 12 average mark for students enrolling in first-year programs saw 52.5 per cent of University of Toronto first-year engineering students had an average of 95 or higher in 2017. In 2020, that had risen to 68.4 per cent. At Queen’s University, 31.5 per cent of students enrolled in the first-year bachelor of commerce program had a 95 or higher average in 2017, versus 43.5 per cent in 2020. 

Tutoring programs like Empower Tutoring ensure that students are getting all the help they need to excel in school and beyond. Offering private one-on-one tutoring for high school students from Grades 9–12, the company provides homework help, assignment support and test and exam preparation, all according to the provincial curriculum. 

Tutors are local, have at least three years of tutoring experience and all have qualifications in the relevant subject. Many are also teacher candidates or certified teachers. Providing only experienced professionals aligns with research on the matter, which has shown that tutors who are teachers or para-professionals with some training were more effective than those without the relevant background. 

Tutoring is all about finding the right fit for your child, and Empower Tutoring helps by offering a free 60-minute trial lesson to ensure your selected tutor is the perfect match. Covering subjects including math, general science, chemistry, physics, biology, English, coding and computer science, French, IB/AP courses, accounting and more, parents have seen measurable improvements in their child’s performance.

“Your help has been invaluable. His mark has gone up 20 per cent after one test and an assignment,” one parent shared with an Empower tutor. 

While traditional classroom learning is a fit for some, many students in Ontario need additional, focused support to maximize their learning potential and achieve their academic goals. Tutoring offers a private, individualized solution to an educational structure that often leaves learners behind.