Why Classroom Math Beats Math Tutoring

Parents assume, understandably, that the best way to fill the gaps in their child's math education is to hire an experienced adult whose attention will solely be absorbed by the student in front of them. While tutors can provide some short term, remedial help, they don't do much for enhancing skills and strengthening knowledge. Here are some reasons why:

1. Students like to be around their peers: other students of a similar age and level. An environment of interaction, collaboration, and healthy competition keeps lessons fun and engaging. Becoming bored during one-on-one tutoring can often contribute to a student's dislike of mathematics. Learning in isolation can also cause students to lose sight of what it means to meaningfully interact with the material, no longer hoping to understand and explain concepts, but rather working solely for a correct answer.

2. Rather than simply providing students with the answer, which often happens in one-on-one tutoring, the classroom setting requires students to think on their feet. Students have the opportunity to persevere through problem solving, drawing upon what they already know, which builds critical thinking skills. Also, some of the best teaching can happen between students: it's much easier to help a fellow student push through a mental block when you've just overcome it yourself.

3. The classroom setting allows for students to compare and share their knowledge, skills, solutions, and ideas, which stimulates collaborative learning. Honest feedback from instructors also makes students accountable for their performance. Both of these factors build confidence and give students a realistic sense of their own strengths and weaknesses in relation to others, allowing them to grow. In this setting, students are able to understand how their hard work and dedication can impact their results.

Having 100% of someone's attention and focus can be useful in occasional short spurts, to provide remedial help. However, if overall education and intellectual development is the goal, the power of a stimulating environment must not be underestimated. The necessity of working in a collaborative and engaging classroom is something we emphasize at RSM. Along with teachers who prioritize group work and peer-to-peer explanations, RSM students take pride in the moments they are able to help one another. Overcoming a difficult problem does not mean that a student is done, rather, it means that the student is now able to assist their peers and continue to push themselves to tackle additional challenges in the future.

Written by Irina Khavinson, Co-Founder of the Russian School of Mathematics

This blog was previously published in 2015 and has since been updated.