Launched in 2009, The Tutoring Company focuses on a wholesome approach to teaching students organization.
The Tutoring Company, a K-12 tutoring service that covers math, science, test prep and more in Gainesville, Daytona, Deland and St. Augustine, is entering the 2017-2018 school year with a new holistic tutoring approach. The new approach was created not only to maximize grades and traditional school performance but also to develop long-lasting study and organizational skills. The new holistic strategy is a process-oriented system that helps students personalize their study habits and routines to increase efficiency and performance while reducing stress and anxiety.
“We are excited about adding what we think is a transformational new benefit and focus to our tutoring approach this school year,” said Zach Seymour, owner and manager of The Tutoring Company. “The Tutoring Company has always prided itself on helping students improve their grades and shore up their areas of weakness, but over the years of constant reevaluation and adaptation in the name of self-improvement, we’ve come to a realization: Only focusing on concepts a student doesn’t understand or correcting poor quiz and test grades is treating the symptoms, not the underlying condition.”
The Tutoring Company wants to impart on its students the fundamental idea that staying on top of their schedules, deadlines and workloads through a systematic approach is incredibly beneficial, both now and for the future. This approach is easily digestible and exceedingly simple to implement, and it ultimately helps reduce stress and maximize student potential.
The process focuses on using small and repeatable steps to build a complete system that integrates with a student’s natural talents. The goal is to lead and encourage students to discover their own organizational routines.
“We provide the scaffolding and framework, and then our tutors collaborate with the student to construct the building to their specifications,” Seymour said. “Learning, organization and preparation are far from one-size-fits-all. We have adapted well to different learning and teaching styles, and now we want to take a step back and provide a service that addresses a bigger-picture need.”
Launched in 2009 from Gainesville, Florida, The Tutoring Company has always tried to stay ahead of the curve by developing fresh ideas and implementing outside-the-box concepts. The company utilizes tutors who are almost exclusively undergraduate- or graduate-level college students for math tutoring, science tutoring and test prep. This modified peer-tutoring approach allows for maximum trust between student and tutor and sets up a leadership example. Tutors at The Tutoring Company are able to pull from their advanced knowledge of the concepts they teach and blend it with the tips, tricks and examples that helped them learn the material.
“When we started the service, it was based on personal experience tutoring in college,” Seymour said. “We realized there was a really special dynamic between a college-aged tutor and elementary, middle and high school students. We were old enough and advanced enough to thoroughly know the material, but we were not so old that we appeared to be an extension of their school day. We felt that this was a powerful advantage and allowed us to be as relatable as we were effective.”
In the era of technological advancements in the classroom and virtual tutoring services across the globe and the internet, The Tutoring Company still firmly believes that in-person, one-on-one tutoring remains the benchmark for supplemental education. It may be more important now than ever before to encourage face-to-face, real-world interactions as kids and adults alike become more and more connected to their cell phones and computers.
“We feel that we need to emphasize in-person interactions more and more as kids become increasingly engaged with technology,” Seymour said. “We want our students to be comfortable interfacing with other people as much as they are interfacing with their gadgets. Technology can be a great tool for educational purposes, but only when it is reinforced with personal connection and communication.”
In a national tutoring landscape that includes several super-brands, The Tutoring Company strives to differentiate itself with personalization, flexibility and face-to-face interaction.
“Because we are still on a relatively small scale, we are able to provide the highest levels of customer service,” Seymour said. “When you call The Tutoring Company’s phone number, book sessions or ask questions, it’s me that you’ll be interacting with.”
The Tutoring Company also features tutors who have been trained using the same system, guides and instruction. This allows maximum scheduling flexibility because tutors can be interchanged when necessary.
“Our roster of tutors helps us to match students with the perfect tutor, both for subject and personality fit,” Seymour said. “We feel like our matching system allows us to ensure that tutoring will be both effective and engaging. Ultimately, we want the community to view The Tutoring Company as their one-stop local option for supplemental education (for) any subject and any personalized needs. Our aim is to give our parents peace of mind and our students the opportunity to maximize their abilities in a fun and light learning setting.”