How Online Tutoring Works
One of the questions I hear most often from parents is:
“How does online tutoring actually work for subjects like math, chemistry, and physics?”
It’s a great question — and one worth unpacking, because for many families, online sessions end up being a flexible, effective solution they hadn’t considered before.
How We Connect
Most of my online sessions take place over Zoom. Before each session, I send a secure link, and when the student joins, we have a variety of tools at our disposal:
Screen Sharing – Perfect for reviewing homework, lab assignments, or practice tests together.
Annotate Tool – Lets both of us write directly on shared documents, highlight key steps, and make notes in real time.
Document Camera – My favorite for “old-fashioned” pen-and-paper problem-solving. The student can watch me work through a problem, see each step as I write it, and even annotate on my page virtually.
For math and science especially, seeing the process matters just as much as seeing the answer.
Advantages of Online Tutoring
Online tutoring has a few key perks that students and parents really appreciate:
Easy Access to Resources – We can instantly pull up diagrams, simulations, or practice problems without switching between tools.
No Commute – Your student can connect from home, saving time and making scheduling easier.
Lower Cost – I offer online sessions at a lower rate, since I’m not traveling between appointments.
Global Reach – I’ve worked with students across Canada, the U.S., and even other parts of the world.
Challenges to Be Aware Of
Of course, online tutoring isn’t without its quirks:
Assessing Problem-Solving Skills – It can be trickier to see exactly how a student works through a problem if they’re not writing on the shared screen. Often, we work around this by having the student talk through each step while working on their own paper.
Tech Limitations – Some laptops, especially Chromebooks, may not support Zoom’s annotate feature.
Potential Distractions – Computers come with many temptations. A quick conversation about focus and screen habits usually helps.
Is It Right for Your Student?
If your student is feeling lost, falling behind, or struggling to connect with their classroom teacher, online tutoring might be exactly what they need. It’s flexible, accessible, and — when done well — just as effective as sitting at the same table.
If you’d like to explore whether this could work for your family, I offer a free first session so we can try it out together.
📞 Call or text me at (403) 458-0454 to get started.