Technology has become an indispensable tool in education. Online or remote education is gaining popularity in recent years with the advancement of technology. Most “Internet generation” kids have their own personal laptops or tablets and spend a lot of time on the Internet, so an interactive online session can be more natural for them than a regular classroom environment.
An online session is similar to in-person session, except that the teacher and the student communicate remotely by computer instead of physically sitting next to each other. During teleconferencing, the teacher shares his/her computer screen with the student and everything that happens on it is visible to the students in real time, including handwritten notes and annotations.
Skype screen with annotations
Currently, the preferred platform is Skype in conjunction with a digital whiteboard software. In future, we plan to implement a dedicated Learning Management System, which will have all the components for teaching and monitoring students’ progress.
Any laptop with a reliable broadband Internet connection will work. The minimum bandwidth for a quality video connection is 400kbps; 1.2Mbps and above is recommended for HD teleconferencing. In addition, all laptops have built-in microphones and webcams, which are necessary for communication. If you are using a desktop computer, you may need an external microphone and a webcam.
The benefits include but not limited to:
– No geographic limitations
– Teachers, parents and students do not spend valuable time traveling
– Taking classes from the comfort of your home or anywhere
– Online tutoring can be provided at a lower cost than in-person tuition
– More flexible scheduling
– Easy to keep records and follow up homework
– Using the computer screen as a digital whiteboard
– The session can be recorded and/or class notes can be saved for future reference
– The student can stay focused on the session without worrying about taking notes
Students with a touchscreen device can share their screen with handwritten notes with the teacher. Alternatively, the student can simply show his/her work on the webcam. In case it is necessary to share multiple pages of material, we recommend using a free app called TurboScan, which is available for both Iphone and Android platforms. The app can be used to scan up to 10 pages of material and send by email as a pdf file.
No, I prepare students only for the math sections.
Yes, I do offer classes on Saturdays. Normally I do not schedule regular classes on Sundays except for some makeup or irregular classes on a case-by-case basis.
During the school year, classes are normally held between 3pm – 8:30pm on weekdays and 9am – 5pm on Saturdays. Earlier classes are available on holidays or early dismissal days. The summer schedule is more flexible.
Yes, I do offer a 30-minute free consultation without any obligation.
We will assess the academic situation, understand the factors that impact student’s performance, discuss and establish goals and expectations for the classes, and collectively, decide on a learning plan and a schedule that best suits your goals. We’ll also cover the technical aspects of the course.
Regular sessions are 90 minutes long with a short break if necessary. Hourly sessions are considered in special cases; usually it is not long enough to keep up with the school curriculum or to make significant progress in the test prep. Longer classes are considered.
Yes, homework is an integral part of each course as there will be no significant progress without it. Homework is assigned for each session and it is expected that all students will diligently complete it before the next session. Parents will be informed if the homework is completed in full and on time. The volume and complexity of assignments depend on many factors and are adjusted as the course progresses. It is strongly recommended that students do their homework in advance to avoid last-minute stress.
Depending on the class, the students are expected to have
• school textbook
• classroom notes
• review materials from school, such as study guides for upcoming assessments
• completed homework for our class
• writing utensils
• calculator
• notebook for scratch work
• a separate notebook for important notes
• test prep books if applicable
Review materials and homework packets are provided by me.
We do not do the school homework during our sessions since it’s the responsibility of the student. If necessary, I will review related concepts and look at similar problems to ensure that the student can do the homework on his/her own.
Regular classes are 90 minutes long and cost $100 per session.
Please contact me as soon as possible and let me know your rescheduling options.