Preparatory courses or tutors ?! Which is better: study with a private tutor, go to foreign language courses or learn the language on your own.

Every year, on the eve of passing the exam, there comes a time when everyone who intends to successfully pass it and enter universities and institutes can no longer sleep well. Universities are opening their own courses preparing for the exam. Many advertisements from tutors appear on the Internet and on poles. Let's try to figure out which is better - independent preparation for the exam, tutor or courses preparation? What is the best choice for a future applicant to come to the exam well prepared in June?

Self-preparation

Not everyone can afford to pay for preparatory courses and, moreover, for private tutors, so you can also do your own training. However, at the same time, it is necessary to realize that such preparation for the exam will require the utmost concentration of energy and attention.

Before deciding on self-preparation for the upcoming exams, it is useful to assess the existing knowledge by passing the trial exam in the subject that you intend to take. This will allow you to visually identify the existing problems, help you understand how you should plan your further studies. Trial examinations are regularly held in schools, as well as in various training centers, of which countless numbers have appeared in recent years. Therefore, it is currently not a problem to pass the "sample", anyone can do it any number of times in any subject.

You can also check the degree of your preparedness on some special sites on which test tasks in various subjects are freely available. When preparing to take the exam on your own, you should clarify the form for filling out the examination forms, since filling them out incorrectly can lead to fatal results. Also note that you should not start with Part C, which is the most difficult part. Those who do this often miss the main tasks in Parts A and B.

Self-study cannot be called the most effective form of preparation, they are suitable for students who know the subject with confidence. It is also much more difficult to prepare on your own than in professional training. tutor or courses preparation. At the same time, even if you are confident in your own strengths and decided on a completely independent preparation for the exam, you should consult with a knowledgeable person from time to time to make sure that you are doing everything right.

Tutor or courses?

Training courses

Admission to most of the country's universities is currently based on the results of the Unified State Exam. Some of the most prestigious educational institutions require applicants to take additional exams. When entering such institutes or universities, classes in preparatory courses are certainly justified and useful. For other applicants, attending such courses also has a number of positive aspects. They explain the technical side of the exam: they show how to fill out the forms correctly, teach them how to properly distribute their forces when completing tasks, pay attention to some little things, ignorance of which can seriously spoil the final result.

Also, preparatory courses help to systematize the knowledge gained at school in the area that this university pays special attention to. Graduates are offered tasks not only from the basic sections, but also from the section of the exam, designed for deeper knowledge. Also, students attending preparatory courses at universities are provided with competently selected literature: collections of problems, textbooks and manuals.

But what is still better: tutor or courses? I must say that training in preparatory courses has a number of significant disadvantages inherent in any group activities. The fact is that they practice an average approach to the learning process. It is impossible to pay enough attention to each student if the group of students is large and varied in composition. The teacher on the courses will not bother with each specific student. Meanwhile, each student has his own gaps in knowledge and understanding of the educational material. Not differing in form from school lessons, the preparatory courses have little to offer the students attending them beyond what they receive in school. Therefore, this type of preparation for the exam is not suitable for everyone. They can be useful for those students who just need to structure the knowledge gained in school, as well as gain confidence in their abilities.

Individual lessons with a tutor

The most efficient way to prepare. When it comes to choosing between tutor and courses training, then from the point of view of an individual approach to teaching, classes with a tutor are undoubtedly more preferable. A professional tutor prepares each lesson for each of his students, taking into account his individual characteristics, wishes, aspirations and interests. All the attention of the tutor in the lesson is paid to one student. Any misunderstanding of the material is timely recorded and eliminated. The student has the opportunity to receive answers to all questions arising in the learning process, both directly and in the process of creating problem situations by the tutor, stimulating independent thinking and a conscious search for the correct answer.

Individual lessons are a time-tested form of education (read more about this in the article ""). With the right organization, they will suit all students without exception, from excellent students preparing for the Olympiad, to mothers and fathers who have long graduated from school, who decided "for themselves" to refresh their memory of school wisdom. Classes with a tutor are especially useful for students who are not entirely confident in their abilities, who cannot clearly formulate their problems: are there any gaps in knowledge, and if so, how should they be filled in order to do this in a short time. A good tutor is able to prepare a student for the Unified State Exam as efficiently as possible. It is important that he has tutoring experience and has an idea of ​​the specifics of the USE in his subject.

Private lessons with a tutor also have their positive and negative sides. Let's highlight the following ones:

Arguments for"

• An individual approach to the student. Taking into account the individual characteristics of the student can significantly reduce the time spent on studying the material, as well as improve the quality of knowledge.
• Clear and timely detection of gaps in the student's knowledge and their subsequent elimination. This is especially important when studying the exact sciences, primarily physics and mathematics, since in them the construction of new material is based on what has already been passed. A professional physics and math tutor is able to bridge the student's knowledge gaps.
• Many tutors are ready to teach classes at your home. This saves you unnecessary hassle and time.

Arguments against"

• The study load on the student is increasing. Studying is not easy work, so you should set aside enough time for rest. However, on the positive side, many tutors are willing to conduct their classes in your home, which is much more convenient than going to preparatory courses after school.
• With the wrong organization of the educational process, the student becomes unnecessarily dependent on the teacher, due to which his independence in solving problems and in learning in general suffers. Therefore, the tutor is required to organize the educational process in such a way that such problems do not arise.
• Tutoring services are not cheap, and their quality can only be assessed after a certain time.

Thus, each type of preparation for the exam has its positive and negative sides. For students who are confident in their abilities, who only need to systematize the knowledge gained at school, as well as for classes in humanitarian subjects, preparatory courses are a fairly effective and convenient way to prepare for the Unified State Exam. In the case of mathematics and physics, one-to-one lessons with a tutor are much more effective than lessons in preparatory courses.

Sergey Valerievich

Marcus Aurelius
"Reflections" ("Alone")
Book one

I owe my grandfather Vera my cordiality and gentleness.

To the glory of the parent and the memory he left behind - modesty and courage.

Mothers - by piety, generosity and abstinence not only from bad deeds, but also from bad thoughts. And also a simple way of life, far from any luxury.

Great-grandfather - because he did not attend public schools, I used the services of excellent teachers at home and realized that it was worth spending money on it .

Or a tutor for the exam?
Isn't school preparation enough?

No, not enough. Pupils in grades 10-11 need tutors or USE courses in order to pass the USE in a specialized subject for a high score. A high school grade in a subject does not mean admission to a university! Knowledge is important, not assessments!

For example, the exam in mathematics. In most Moscow schools, parents and students are warned that they will reach a maximum of 60-65 points. To enter a serious university you need 80-100! Otherwise - admission to a supernumerary university in a paid department. And pay, pay, pay ...

And so - in all subjects.

School. 30 people in the class. The teacher focuses on the intermediate level, and not on those three or five who need 90 points in the subject.

Every year in a math interview we ask the simplest questions:
- How to find the area of ​​a square whose side is 5?
- How much will discounted jeans cost if initially they cost 5,000 rubles and the discount is 20%?
Unfortunately, more than half of the students who come to the courses cannot answer these questions! And dads and moms tell them

And this situation is not only with mathematics. History tutors, for example, have a question at an interview - what year did the October Revolution in Russia take place? 90% of schoolchildren do not know this!

What will a tutor or teacher of USE courses do with a high school student?

Of course, do not do homework with the student! The high school student is almost an adult and does not need a nanny. A person 16-17 years old can do homework on their own!

The tutor preparing for the Unified State Exam is not home staff, along with the driver and the housekeeper, and not the "monsieur" about whom Pushkin wrote 200 years ago.

Today the Unified State Exam tutor is a highly qualified specialist. Such a tutor highly appreciates his work and most often does not work individually (such services can be prohibitively expensive), but with a mini-group of students of 4-6 people.

How to choose a professional tutor or a good teacher for the USE courses?

Tutoring is a separate profession that does not coincide with the profession of a school teacher or university teacher.
The tutor's professionalism is confirmed, first of all, by his results. If you see excellent reviews on the website of the USE courses, you can safely go to such a tutor!
A professional tutor knows the whole program and even more.

Such a teacher adheres to the ethics of the tutor.

The tutor is often approached starting with the words “Help us”. One of the tasks of the tutor is not just to “get” the student to learn something, but also to restore self-confidence. Help to believe in yourself.

Pedagogical education, academic degree, or school experience are not required. Nowadays, not a single educational institution teaches to be a tutor. Unified State Exam tutors are people who have studied all their lives and have reached professional heights.

Where can you find such a tutor? For example, on good preparation courses for the exam, in a large tutoring company and, of course, after seeing the tutor's personal website. Many professional tutors are authors of books and video courses to prepare for the Unified State Exam.

How do you choose the tutor that's right for you? Come to a trial lesson or test. The more complete information about yourself you provide to the tutor or USE courses, the better the result. A good tutor or administrator of the USE courses will certainly ask you which university you are applying to, how many points you need to score, what progress in the chosen subject at school.

It is best to prepare for the exam with a professional tutor. Not with a university teacher moonlighting by tutoring in his spare time. Not with my grandmother, who taught mathematics twenty years ago. The ideal option is a tutor, for whom preparation for the exam is the main profession. Such a specialist knows all the subtleties and nuances, and in many cases he can predict what will be on the exam.

Where can I find a tutor?

Success in preparing for the exam!

We compare different options for preparing for the exam and talk about the pros and cons of each. This article will be useful for parents who want to help their children prepare for the exam, but do not know where to start.

Preparation Courses

Courses are classes in specialized centers for preparing for the exam. Usually there are teachers in different subjects: Russian and English, mathematics, physics, and so on.

A student can take courses in one subject, or maybe several. Classes are on schedule.

Minuses

Many people.The courses are usually taught in groups. If the groups are up to 8-10 people, then the teacher manages to devote time to everyone in an hour and a half. If there are more students in groups, for example 20-25, then such classes are no different from school lessons.

Various teachers.Sometimes several teachers teach the same subject in courses. For example, if one of the teachers got sick or left. Each teacher has his own teaching methodology and program, so there is a risk that students will go through the same topic several times.

pros

Testing.Often, before classes in the courses, they are offered to pass a diagnostic test - an abbreviated version of the USE. Based on the results, the teachers will tell you which topics to focus on and how they can help with them in the classroom.

Testing is a test of knowledge and consultation with teachers. After it, you can decide whether to go to the courses or not.

Reporting.In good courses, everything is the same as in school - there are grades and a diary of visits. Course administrators maintain documents and send results to parents by mail. If a student missed classes or became worse in school, this is immediately visible.

All in one place.The centers usually have teachers for all subjects. This means that there is no need to look for separate tutors in the Russian language, mathematics or physics. They are all in the centers. Sometimes you can even choose from several teachers in the same subject.

Refund 13% of the cost.If the center where the courses are taught is officially registered, then part of the cost of training can be returned through the tax. The part is 13%. To return them, you need to take a special certificate from the center and from work.

With centers without an official license and tutors, this will not work.

Tutors

A tutor is a teacher from a school or university who works with a student one-on-one. Usually leads one or two subjects.

Video about preparing for the exam yourself and in groups

Minuses

Reporting.Tutors usually do not keep electronic progress and attendance diaries. Parents should learn about the progress and degree of preparation of the student on their own.

One teacher.The tutor leads all classes alone. If he gets sick or leaves, then there is no one to replace him. Because of such situations, classes are often lost or postponed. If this happens often, then the student runs the risk of preparing poorly for the exam.

Hand payment.Another disadvantage is payment for classes in an envelope or from card to card. If the parents do not require a receipt for receiving money from the tutor, then in the event of a conflict, it will be difficult to prove the fact of payment.

With a "gray" payment, you will not be able to return 13% of the cost of the lessons. But there is a nuance: if a tutor works as an individual entrepreneur or from an educational center, then part of the money can be received back.

pros

One on one.The main advantage of tutors over courses is individual lessons with students. For an hour or two, the teacher communicates and helps only one student. The benefits from this are twice as large as from one lesson in the course.

Flexible schedule.If the tutor is a private trader, then the class schedule can be built in the way that is convenient for the student and teacher. On the courses, classes are on schedule and there is no way to reschedule them.

conclusions

In courses, teachers have more responsibility for the students - they are responsible for attendance, grades, diagnostic testing. But there are some nuances here: classes are held according to the schedule, the teacher can change, in groups there are several students.

With a tutor, there is more freedom: the student can choose a convenient schedule and communicate with the teacher one-on-one. But there are also disadvantages - lack of control and reporting.

Learning a foreign language is a process that requires the help of specialists. It is very difficult to independently delve into all the grammatical, phonetic, lexical subtleties and nuances. The theory must be supported by practice, speaking skills. The teacher lays the foundations, improves your knowledge, corrects mistakes in a timely manner, helps to learn a foreign language from scratch to a confident conversational level.

Experts identify two of the most effective formats: language courses and a tutor. Each of the options has its own characteristics and advantages. Someone is closer to classroom lessons, while others, on the contrary, prefer to communicate with the teacher one-on-one. We will consider both options for language learning, highlighting their pros and cons.

Learning a foreign language with a tutor

When choosing classes with a tutor, you must be prepared for very significant expenses. This option is much more expensive than courses at a linguistic school. But there are many benefits behind the high price tag. Individual study of a foreign language with a teacher is suitable for people with busy jobs who find it difficult to adapt to the schedule of classroom lessons.

Also, communication with the teacher tete-a-tete increases the intensity of mastering the material, which is important for those who seek to meet specific deadlines. Let's take a closer look at all the advantages of the tutoring format.

Advantages of individual lessons:

• In the first lesson, the teacher assesses the initial level of knowledge of his student and draws up an individual program, which is built taking into account the achievement of specific goals. If you want to learn Business English - the material will include relevant literature and thematic practice practice. If you are planning to move abroad, the emphasis will be on the spoken language.
• You have the opportunity to choose the time of the classes. It is very important for working people, whose schedule can change dramatically. You can call the teacher and reschedule the lesson for another day. At the same time, you do not lose money and do not miss material. It is better to agree in advance with the tutor about an approximate schedule that will be convenient for both parties and, depending on the circumstances, adjust the days and times of meetings.
• In choosing a tutor, one of the decisive moments is the location of the class. As a rule, one of two options is considered: lessons at your home or meetings on the teacher's premises. The second option involves either a home format or classes in the teacher's office. In any case, you have the opportunity to choose the option that is most convenient for you.

• In the format of individual lessons, the teacher immediately sees the mistakes that you make and corrects them. One of the disadvantages of classroom lessons is that there are many students, but there is only one teacher. It is physically impossible to focus on each student. Working out weaknesses should be part of the program that the tutor develops for you.
• Classes can be held without reference to the place. Found a highly qualified specialist living in another city or country, use the training format via Skype. This option is very convenient and saves you a lot of time. You don't need to travel anywhere. Lessons are held wherever you want: at home at the computer, in a cafe or office at the laptop.

• The main thing is to agree on the schedule of online meetings in advance and ensure a quiet, calm environment around. Nothing should get in the way of your focus.

• The option of individual lessons is suitable for those who are embarrassed to show their level of knowledge, are complex about this. During the lessons, only the tutor will see and hear you.

• You can not be afraid to make mistakes, the teacher's job is to correct them and help you improve your knowledge.

• Gradual financial investments. If you pay a large amount at once to pay for language courses (for a semester or a year as a whole), then you can pay with a tutor at the end of each lesson.

How to choose a tutor

A lot depends on the teacher's competence. You can trust the tutor, but as a result you will not get the expected effect.

On the Internet, you can find many sentences that eloquently describe the professional level of the teacher. Often, words do not find their embodiment in practice.

Do not want to waste your money and time in vain, follow our advice in choosing a specialist:

All these components effectively complement each other, during the learning process they become one whole. Hearing, listening, understanding and speaking in a foreign language - in the end, you should master all these skills at a decent level.

Language learning courses

The linguistic school opens up opportunities for students to gradually learn a foreign language, immerse themselves deeply in the material, practice the practice of speaking in communication with other students, share opinions and views on a specific topic of the program.

This format is very popular with students with a wide range of ages: schoolchildren; students; representatives of various professions, improving their language skills for career growth; businessmen who need communication skills with foreign partners; people moving to live abroad.

Advantages of taking courses

Let's highlight 5 main advantages of studying in a language school:

• Classes discipline, set a certain pace. Students must follow the schedule clearly. Skipping a lesson means studying the topic on your own and practicing it at home. Each of the classroom meetings motivates to move forward.

• You have the opportunity to evaluate your knowledge and abilities in a group, to compare yourself with others. This stimulates the desire to become better, to improve skills, to reach a higher level.
• Effective language learning is impossible without live communication. Lessons in a linguistic school provide every opportunity to practice practice with other students.

• Courses in a language school are much cheaper than lessons with a tutor. This is a significant cost saving benefit.
• You can choose different intensity and directionality. Linguistic center specialists develop programs for different ages, goals and degrees of intensity.

Should I choose a course or a tutor?

If you are in doubt and cannot decide on one of the formats, we will help you speed up the solution. The answers to these questions will help you make the right choice:

• Do you want to learn a language quickly or don't have specific deadlines? For intensive assimilation of the material, it is better to give preference to classes with a tutor. The duration of courses in a language school can be from six months to a year, depending on the degree of initial preparation.
• Are you sociable or limit contact with strangers? Classroom classes are held in large quantities, the number of students in a group is from 5 to 20 people.

• How much time are you willing to spend to get to the classroom? They are very busy and every minute counts - the best option would be individual lessons with a tutor via Skype.

• You will not need to move from place to place, with the presence of the Internet, communication is possible anywhere in the world, wherever you are.

• Are you disciplined or have problems with self-organization from time to time? Classes at the language school are scheduled according to a clear schedule. If you missed a lesson, you didn't learn a new topic. One of the significant advantages of one-to-one training with a teacher is the ability to reschedule a meeting without gaps in the program.
• After the first lesson, have you learned the new information well? The most reliable indicator of effectiveness is the result after class. There is emptiness in the head, which means that you need to choose a different learning format.

Did you find the answers to these 5 questions? Choose the option that suits you specifically, and do not give up what you started. Having learned a foreign language, you will broaden your horizons and open up new opportunities for professional development.

Disputes over the effectiveness of the OGE and the Unified State Exam have been going on since their introduction, but the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation is not going to cancel the exams in the foreseeable future. Preparation for complex multi-level assignments for most schoolchildren turns into a long obstacle course, which is extremely difficult to overcome without outside help. The lack of time and a limited family budget does not allow using all possible options. Therefore, parents face a difficult choice: send their child to a tutor or enroll in courses.

Preparing with a tutor

Individual lessons with a tutor allow teachers to find a suitable style and method of presenting the material, taking into account the level of the child's preparation, his peculiarities of perception and assimilation of information. In such conditions, the interaction between the teacher and the student reaches a qualitatively new level, unattainable when studying in a large group. Other benefits of training with a tutor are also noted:

• free schedule of classes and the ability to take breaks;
• individual selection of educational material;
• maximum control of the student's progress and identification of typical mistakes for him;
• the child feels an additional responsibility towards the teacher.

Unfortunately, tutoring has its drawbacks. By sending a child to a teacher, parents risk losing time and wasting money. Because there is an opportunity to choose an incompetent teacher who successfully uses advertising technologies.

Another disadvantage of tutoring services is the cost of classes. For example, in Moscow the price of a 45-minute lesson can exceed RUB 1,500-2,000. At these prices, intensive classes will significantly hit the family budget. Fortunately, in recent years, more and more communication with a tutor occurs via Skype, which allows you to somewhat reduce the cost of lessons and save time on travel.

Preparation on courses

The obvious advantage of training in courses is the presence of a clear teaching methodology and well-thought-out curricula that ensure a stable result. In addition, the organizers and teachers in the process of work accumulate solid experience, which allows you to quickly adjust the program in accordance with changes in the OGE and USE. The standard method of working with students on courses includes the following steps:

• Diagnostics of knowledge.
• Planning.
• The main stage of training.

a) independent work;

b) lessons with teachers;

c) control of results.

• The final stage.
• One month marathon before passing.

This scheme allows you to reduce training costs and achieve a positive result for the majority of students. According to statistics, the assessments of graduates of preparatory courses are on average 15% higher than the average statistical indicators in Russia. Agree, a good result. In addition, preparatory courses are organized by educational institutions, classes at them provide additional advantages when entering a specific university.

The main disadvantage of this path to the coveted student ID is the lack of supervision by teachers and less intense contact between teacher and student.

What to choose?

Let's summarize. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. By giving preference to classes with a tutor, you get:

1. An individual approach to learning, taking into account the characteristics of the child's perception.
2. Ability to change the program and solve additional tasks as they arise.
3. High level of control over student activity.

A significant drawback of tutoring is the cost of services and the risk of wasting time.

By choosing training courses, you will be able to:

1. Reduce costs.
2. With a high degree of probability, you will get the expected result.
3. Increase the chances of admission to a specific university.

The family budget rarely allows combining both options for preparing for the OGE and the Unified State Exam. Therefore, you have to choose one thing. Consider your capabilities and do not forget about the ultimate goal. Good luck in your exams!