Which Is Better For My Child? Group Tuition or 1-on-1 Classes?

As a parent, choosing the right educational setting for your child can be daunting. With so many options available, deciding between one-on-one classes and group classes can significantly impact their learning journey. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and downsides of each approach, helping you make an informed decision tailored to your child’s unique needs.

Considerations For Your Child

There are several factors to consider when choosing between 1-on-1 classes and group classes. Factors such as learning style, does your child focus better in a personalized setting or do they thrive in social environments? In other words, you need to consider your child’s personality, is your child an introvert or extrovert? Introverted students might find 1-on-1 lessons more comfortable, vice-versa with extroverted students. However, it does not mean that introverts would not benefit from group classes and vice-versa. You would also have to consider budget. 1-on-1 classes are usually more expensive. Lastly, you should also check with your child’s tutor’s availability and expertise.

One-on-One Classes

Benefits of 1-on-1 lessons could include personalized attention and pacing, Flexible scheduling, improved teacher-student rapport.

1. Personalized Attention & Pacing: The tutor is solely focused on your child, tailoring lessons to their learning style, pace and needs. Helping your child advance at their optimal speed.
2. Flexible Scheduling: Classes could be arranged at times convenient for you and your child, ideal for people who has busy schedule or many CCA sessions.
3. Targeted Feedback: Immediate, specific feedback helps your child address weaknesses and build on strengths more effectively.

Downsides of 1-on-1 lessons may be higher costs, limited social interaction, and potential dependency on instructor.

1. Higher Costs: 1-on-1 classes are typically more expensive than group classes.
2. Limited Social Interaction: Since the class only consists of 1 student and 1 teacher, there is reduced opportunities for socialization which may lead to some students finding it a chore to attend class. This also means the student will not have any peers to benchmark themselves against.
3. Potential Over-Dependency on Tutor: Your child might be over-reliant on guidance provided by tutor. With constant individual attention, your child might rely too much on tutor’s explanations and might struggle to develop independent problem-solving skills. Furthermore, with the tutor’s constant presence, it may lead student to expect guidance without developing self-study habits.

To maximize benefits and minimize downsides of 1-on-1 classes, regularly communicate with tutors, set clear goals and expectations, monitor progress of your child, and make sure to balance 1-on-1 classes with group activities or socialization opportunities.

Group Classes

Benefits of group lessons could include opportunities of socialization and teamwork, your child will be exposed to diverse perspectives, it would be cost-effective, and group classes can promote healthy competition.

1. Socialization and Teamwork: Group classes foster communication, collaboration and social skills.
2. Diverse Perspectives: Interacting with peers exposes students to various viewpoints, ideas and problem-solving approaches.
3. Cost-Effective: Usually less expensive than one-on-one classes.
4. Healthy Competition: Peers motivate and encourage each other, promoting achievement.

Downsides of group lessons may include less individualized attention, fixed scheduling, potential distractions, ineffective student-to-teacher ratio, and dependence on peers.

1. Less Individualized Attention: Tutors has to divide attention among students which would potentially lead to your child not getting enough attention from the tutor.
2. Fixed Scheduling: Fixed class timing. Limited flexibility in scheduling.
3. Potential Distractions: Classmates can pose as a potential distraction for your child. This would disrupt focus and make learning less effective.
4. Tutor-Student Ratio: High student-to-tutor ratios can impact effectiveness as mentioned in a previous point, the tutor would need to divide attention among all the students.

To maximize benefits and minimize downsides of group classes, choose classes with optimal student-to-teacher ratios, encourage your child to actively participate during lessons, closely monitor progress, and collaborate with your child’s tutor to balance group classes with individual support.

The Intuitive Minds Approach

At Intuitive Minds, we intentionally keep our class class sizes small to make sure no student gets left behind. Our class sizes ranges from 3 to a maximum of 10 students.

Small class sizes strike a nice balance between both 1-on-1 and group classes by fostering a sense of community and healthy competition among peers, while allowing tutors to provide personalized attention to students.

At Intuitive Minds, our focused class size enables:

1. Personalized Attention: Though there are other students, the tutors do not need divide their attention amongst too many students at the same time. Tutors can focus on individual needs of your child as well as other students.
2. Community & Fun: Your child will still be able to harvest the benefits of a group class and bond with like-minded peers. This can create a fun learning environment where students are able to learn together.
3. Improved Motivation with Healthy Competition: Students will still have peers to benchmark themselves against and this can be a strong motivating factor especially for more competitive students.
4. Easier Assessment: With a smaller group, tutors will still be able to assess each and every student effectively. Using our student management app, tutors at Intuitive Minds diligently provide weekly progress reports so both parents and students are always up to date on their progress.

WhatsApp us at +65 8749 8157 to find out how you can start your child on their intuitive learning journey today!