Every student learns at a different pace. Some learn better in one-to-one interactions, while others prefer a group setting. At our Ang Mo Kio hub tuition, classes are typically conducted in small groups and students are encouraged to work with one another to solve problems. How ideal is small group tuition and what are its benefits?
It Increases Quality Time Between Teacher and Student
In a large class with 30 to 40 pupils, it can be difficult for teachers to properly spend enough time catering to the needs of each student. The different learning styles and aptitudes of every student in class make it difficult to design a one-size-fits-all approach, but teachers must go with the majority of the class. As such, some students will be invariably neglected and leave each class with unresolved questions about the topics taught, while others may be far ahead of their peers and feel that the class is not mentally stimulating enough. With a smaller group setting, tutors have more time to spend on each student and tailor their approach to better fit their students. Students will also have the luxury of being taught one-on-one by their tutors, ensuring that they get to work on their weakest points. Additionally, students often have the opportunity to explore topics before they are taught in school, making it easier to catch up in class even if they experience difficulty learning in a large group setting.
It Encourages Teamwork
While it is true that individual tuition allows students to have their tutor’s undivided attention, we have opted for small group classes instead, to provide students with another important asset: teamwork. The school curriculum has become more focused on collaborative effort and group work in recent years, especially with the increase in popularity of advanced programmes such as the International Baccalaureate. Many schools are incorporating group projects into their curriculum, making it inevitable that students have to learn to work together. While some students take to group work naturally, others may be more reserved and unable to verbalise their thoughts sufficiently, while yet others may be too domineering and deter their peers from contributing. With early exposure to learning in small groups from as early as Primary 3, our students at our tuition get the opportunity to learn valuable soft skills and become outstanding team members. They will learn more about healthy interaction with their peers and how they can communicate better with different people. When our students start having to do group work in school, they will be more comfortable with the group setting and can rise up to become natural leaders.
It Encourages Healthy Independence
For students in their primary school years, too much independence may not be ideal – but on the other end of the scale, too little independence can also impede their character growth. Students in a large class setting may feel like they have to cope on their own to catch up with school work, but students who are hand-held with tutoring may also suffer from having too little independence to work on their own and make mistakes. At small group tuition in Ang Mo Kio, students get some time to work on their own problems while the tutor is helping another student. The tutor may not be immediately available for help, but students are encouraged to check their own answers first and verify that they understand the explanation. If they need help with a question, they can move on to the next question first in order to maximise their practice time. This mirrors the environment in an examination room, where students do not have the luxury of consulting a tutor for every question. Even if they do not know the answer to a question, they must move on and come back for it later. When students are able to tackle problems on their own, they will gain confidence in the topic and feel more at ease during the paper. Fret not, as the tutor will still keep an eye on each student and ensure that all their doubts are clarified at the end of each session.
It Offers a Flexible Schedule
One of the best benefits of small group tuition is its flexibility due to the small number of students in the class. Unlike school classes, if students are unable to attend their scheduled tuition date at Science Masterclass, they can always go for a make-up session from the many slots available. This ensures that students will never miss a class, even if they are sick or otherwise unable to make it for their regular tuition slot. Even if a student has missed their school lesson, the small group setting will make it easy for them to receive more help and catch up faster.