You can easily find teachers and tutors here at Anything Academic. We make it simple to find just the right help based on your needs and requests. However, determining which one of these great choices is best to hire can be slightly more difficult. There are major differences between the two, and it’s important to distinguish between them to determine which one fits your needs best. Let’s keep it as simple as possible by discussing the two and the benefits of each path.

Generally, you will find 3 “classes” of instructors: Teachers, Tutors, and Facilitators.

Teacher

A teacher is someone who teaches. Sounds overly simple, right? Well, as any teacher or homeschool parent can tell you, it’s certainly easier said than done. At its most basic, a teacher really is anyone who accepts the full responsibility of educating students. It becomes more defined when we talk about how and where the teacher is teaching. A parent who decides to homeschool their child and teach the child themselves is a teacher.

However, when most people think of teachers, they think of classroom teachers, who are well-educated professionals. These teachers are typically employed by schools, colleges, or other professional entities. Occasionally they are employed directly by families. They typically have formal training and at least a bachelor’s degree in education. Usually, when you talk about a teacher, you talk about doing so full-time or at least part-time and not hourly.

At Anything Academic, you can choose the level of education you desire in your teacher. You will do this when you create your teacher request. It can always be adjusted! You’ll be asked what the highest level of education you expect the teacher to have completed. You’ll also have the opportunity to select teachers who have a valid state teaching certificate in your state. Not sure what this means? You can search through our Credentials verifications or read more in our Teacher Requirements library to learn what your state requires its certified teachers. Anything Academic also recommends you verify a teacher’s certification if you require it before you hire them.

If you desire a teacher, make sure you take some time to think about what you want in that person. Make a list and then order your priorities. When you make your teacher requests as descriptive as possible, putting a little more time and effort into making your request will help you get the best responses.

Tutor

A tutor is a private instructor who usually coaches a student one-on-one or works in a small group. Teachers can certainly be tutors, but not all tutors are teachers. Professional tutors may or may not have a college degree, but they should be very knowledgeable in the subjects they offer to tutor. Tutors might also be students or former students who excelled in the class or subject they tutor. Often they work hourly or only part-time with your student.

If you or your student need help in just one or two specific areas or subjects, a tutor might be a good option for you. Tutors can certainly supplement a student’s education when they need help. On the other hand, you might want a tutor to help challenge your student if they excel in a subject and the school’s curriculum is not enriching enough. You can find great tutors that will work with you online or in-person. Anything Academic will help you find the perfect match!

Facilitator

So what then is a facilitator? They are a bit new in the COVID-19 era, where most learning is remote learning. You are working. Your kids are studying in the next room, and you keep getting interrupted by them with questions. How can you both work from home and provide what your kids need? What if you need someone to keep them on task and answer simple questions that take just a moment. This is the job of a facilitator! While this can be someone in your home, actually supervising, they can also be remote but readily available at any moment to answer questions from students. If at your home, they may not be educated in the subjects fully but can help keep your student on task and organize their time. They can help them look up answers or email teachers for more support. They, quite simply, facilitate the day. Qualifications can vary from babysitter to college students to well-educated teachers. A facilitator can be present for a few hours or all day, depending on needs, and can be available on call at all times.

Which one is best for me?

If you rely heavily on the person you hire to weigh in and implement curriculum, teaching style, and learning resources, then a teacher might be the better fit. Teachers typically handle more hours and more students. If you want to homeschool your child(ren) but don’t want to carry all of the weight, then a teacher might be a great way to have the best of both worlds.

If you need someone to supplement your child’s learning, then a tutor might be the best fit. If you are looking for help in specific subjects, a tutor can provide the assistance you might need.

If you can’t determine which one will work best for you, look for both in your teacher request and see what kind of matches you get. When you start messaging with the teachers and tutors who fit the criteria of what you are looking for, you might find that the decision is made for you.