LearnMate understand many of you will be concerned about COVID-19 and are closely following the situation as it continues to evolve and unfold around the world. We have appropriate business planning and procedures in place to ensure that students can still receive tutoring and educational support during this national health crisis, in a safe and effective environment.
If you’re an existing customer of LearnMate, we recommend you read our advice here.
For everyone else (if you’re a new student or parent of LearnMate or are just browsing our site), please read below…
1. Safely Conducting In-Person Tutoring
As of Wednesday March 25 2020, ‘in-person’ lessons with a tutor can still legally occur in Australia, however, that may change. We will update this page at that time and if you are a customer of LearnMate, we will notify you via email and text.
If you wish to commence in-person lessons with a LearnMate tutor, then you may choose to do that, however, we urge extra precaution. We understand that your school may have closed and we want to ensure that you are still educationally supported during this time so as to prevent educational disruption.
Please see a graphic at the bottom of this page showing you how to keep yourself hygienic while attending lessons. To summarise some of the main points:
We would recommend having lessons at a location that isn’t frequented by large groups of people (e.g. student or tutor’s home, but not a local library).
We would recommend keeping a greater distance between student and tutor than normally done (e.g. 1.5m or more).
We would recommend no touching, no handshakes and no friendly body contact.
We would recommend that students and tutors wash their hands before and after each tutoring lesson with soap and/or hand sanitiser.
If you feel or your child develops ‘flu like symptoms’, then we would recommend you tell your tutor not to have lessons, and setup alternative arrangements (see dot point 2 below on online tutoring).
If you’d like to start your search for an in-person tutor near you, go here.
2. Conducting Lessons Online (Alternative Form of Tutoring)
If you wish to have lessons with a tutor, but do not want them to be done in-person, then online tutoring is a great way to ensure you can keep up with school work but not be exposed. All LearnMate tutors have been trained and have experience with tutoring online!
Are you looking for an online tutor at a time and location that suits you? LearnMate Online allows you to tap into hundreds of online tutors across all subjects, in all parts of Australia! LearnMate has online tutors for English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science and so much more!
Here’s how it works and here’s how to get started.
Head on over to the search page here for online tutors.
Search for a tutor for whatever subject/subjects you need help in!
Lessons will start online at a time that suits you – either on Skype or Zoom. Your tutor will inform you on the steps on how to get setup easily for online tutoring, and LearnMate also provides quick instruction to you upon signup. We even provide you with recording capabilities – which means we can record your online tutoring lesson in real time so you can review it at a later date!
If you’d like to start your search for an online tutor, go here.
3. If you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
It is important to remember that symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or tiredness, while consistent with coronavirus, are symptoms that are associated with other illnesses, including the common cold and flu. Unless you have seen a medical professional and have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should not assume you have the virus, but be vigilant in your hygiene.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, breathing difficulties, a cough or sore throat, and have recently returned from an affected country, or come into contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, separate yourself from others and call the relevant health authorities.
If you have severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, call 000 immediately and request an ambulance.
For general information on COVID-19, you can also contact the Department of Health national hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 020 080.
Coronavirus Outbreak – LearnMate’s Response for Tutors
We understand many of you will be concerned about COVID-19 and are closely following the situation as it continues to evolve and unfold around the world.
LearnMate will now be operating in line with its pandemic plan. As such, we will continue to adapt and adjust our operations to deliver high-quality tutoring to our students while ensuring all students, parents and tutors remain safe. As we pivot we will keep you informed with changes as and when they occur.
We have appropriate business continuity planning and procedures in place, and our next steps will be informed by the overall guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and decisions made by the federal and state governments and associated health services.
Below is some additional information regarding the latest health advice, and some alternatives to in-person tutoring.
1. Continuing with In-Person Tutoring
As of Wednesday March 25 2020, ‘in-person’ lessons with a student can still legally occur in Australia, however, that may change. We will update you via text or email if that occurs at a later date.
If you wish to continue in-person lessons with your student, then you may choose to do that, however, we urge extra precaution. We understand that your student’s school may have closed and we want to ensure that they are still educationally supported during this time so as to prevent educational disruption. Note that if in-person tutoring occurs, this must be consensual (accepted) on both sides; both student and tutor must accept this. If one wishes to do online tutoring, then this must be respected.
Please see a graphic at the bottom of this page showing you how to keep yourself and your student(s) hygienic while attending lessons. To summarise some of the main points:
We would recommend having lessons at a location that isn’t frequented by large groups of people (e.g. student or tutor’s home, but not a local library).
We would recommend keeping a greater distance between student and tutor than normally done (e.g. 1m or more).
We would recommend no touching, no handshakes and no friendly body contact.
We would recommend that students and tutors wash their hands before and after each tutoring lesson with soap and/or hand sanitiser.
If you feel or your student develops ‘flu like symptoms’, then we would recommend you tell your student not to have lessons, and setup alternative arrangements (see dot point 2 below on online tutoring).
2. Migrating to Online Tutoring (Alternative Form of Tutoring)
If you wish to still have lessons with your student, but do not want them to be done in-person, then online tutoring is a great way to ensure they can keep up with school work but not be exposed. All students/families have been informed in a separate email on these options as presented in this message.
HOW TO TUTOR ONLINE
Thankfully LearnMate has ample resources to learn how to tutor online, which you can learn very quickly!
1. See our comprehensive online training videos here. The password to access this course is: q7yt1628
2. Be sure to navigate to ‘Section 8, Lecture 60’ onwards to see all the training on how to use online tutoring (whether it be Skype or Zoom).
3. Train and familiarise yourself on how to use online tutoring and create a Skype and/or Zoom account to prepare yourself.
4. You can also see a fantastic video released here by the Australian Tutoring Association on how to prepare and train yourself for tutoring online.
Below we explain what is mentioned in the image above on how to get started on online tutoring:
Contact your student via their number/email in your online account.
Tell your student you’d like to switch to online tutoring in the meantime. Note: your student may contact you beforehand to request online tutoring.“For purposes of ensuring educational continuity we urge you to not reject your current students due to a lack of preference for online tutoring. As this is a national health crisis, we urge all tutors to come together to ensure that students’ education is not disrupted even if online tutoring is new to you. We provide easy to follow instructions as mentioned above.” Whoever contacts first is irrelevant, as the following info below must then be followed:
If you haven’t already installed Skype on your device, be sure to download it here. Skype is a great way to connect with your tutor remotely and you can both share your screens and work, along with video/audio calls. You can also record all Skype calls so that students can review them after the lesson!
You should then request your student’s username so you can add them to your Skype account (as a contact) and then once you add them you can call them through the software. Not sure how to add them as a contact? Learn more here.
Your lesson will occur as normal with your student through online (Skype). If you’re not sure how to do online tutoring as you’re new, then see more info above (HOW TO TUTOR ONLINE) on how to do it as LearnMate provides a whole training module to tutors on online tutoring.
Then, as normal LearnMate will charge your student’s credit/debit card and you will be paid the following Tuesday. Everything else remains the same with how you currently log lessons and get paid – the only difference is the method through which tutoring is done – through online (Skype).
Note: we also offer tutoring on ‘Zoom‘, which is also free to use, however, we have found that Skype is easier to use and easier to setup. If you’d like to avail Zoom instead of Skype, please just tell your student that you’ll be availing Zoom instead, however, be sure to follow the instructions above (HOW TO TUTOR ONLINE) via Zoom.
STUDENT SAFETY REGARDING ONLINE TUTORING
As online tutoring is more of a closed environment compared to in-person lessons, we urge tutors to following certain safety protocols (which students are also informed about):
If possible, ensure you and your student hold lessons in a communal area (e.g. a living or lounge room). We advise against having lessons in the bedroom.
If possible, we recommend your student keep their speakers on loud (so not on headphones), so that they can talk into their device through the in-built microphone, and hear through the in-built speakers on the device (e.g. the speakers that come in-built in your student’s laptop). However, if this causes technical difficulties then your student may choose to use headphones.
Why record a lesson? Simple. After the lesson occurs your student can review what they learnt to even better enhance their learning. It’s also a great way for you to review your own lesson to see where you may want to improve.
HOW DO I USE AN ONLINE WHITEBOARD TO EDUCATE STUDENTS?
LearnMate often get asked – what are the best whiteboards that tutors can use when tutoring their students through Skype or Zoom?
A online whiteboard is a learning space where both teachers and students can write and interact with students in real time via the internet. Whiteboards (traditional, digital and web) are found in almost every classroom because it makes it easy for teachers to explain and explore ideas with students.
It is important to remember that symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or tiredness, while consistent with coronavirus, are symptoms that are associated with other illnesses, including the common cold and flu. Unless you have seen a medical professional and have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should not assume you have the virus, but be vigilant in your hygiene.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, breathing difficulties, a cough or sore throat, and have recently returned from an affected country, or come into contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, separate yourself from others and call the dedicated Victorian Department of Human Health and Services COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398.
If you have severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, call 000 immediately and request an ambulance.
For general information on COVID-19, you can also contact the Department of Health national hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 020 080.
Coronavirus Outbreak – LearnMate’s Response for Students & Parents
LearnMate understand many of you will be concerned about COVID-19 and are closely following the situation as it continues to evolve and unfold around the world.
LearnMate will now be operating in line with its pandemic plan. As such, we will continue to adapt and adjust our operations to deliver high-quality tutoring to our students while ensuring all students, parents and tutors remain safe. We have appropriate business continuity planning and procedures in place, and our next steps will be informed by the overall guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and decisions made by the federal and state governments and associated health services.
Below is some additional information regarding the latest health advice, and some alternatives to in-person tutoring.
1. Continuing with In-Person Tutoring
As of Wednesday March 25 2020, ‘in-person’ lessons with a tutor can still legally occur in Australia, however, that may change. We will update you via text or email if that occurs at a later date.
If you wish to continue in-person lessons with your tutor, then you may choose to do that, however, we urge extra precaution. We understand that your school may have closed and we want to ensure that you are still educationally supported during this time so as to prevent educational disruption. Note that if in-person tutoring occurs, this must be consensual (accepted) on both sides; both student and tutor must accept this. If one wishes to do online tutoring, then this must be respected.
Please see a graphic at the bottom of this page showing you how to keep yourself hygienic while attending lessons. To summarise some of the main points:
We would recommend having lessons at a location that isn’t frequented by large groups of people (e.g. student or tutor’s home, but not a local library).
We would recommend keeping a greater distance between student and tutor than normally done (e.g. 1.5m – 2m or more).
We would recommend no touching, no handshakes and no friendly body contact.
We would recommend that students and tutors wash their hands before and after each tutoring lesson with soap and/or hand sanitiser.
If you feel or your child develops ‘flu like symptoms’, then we would recommend you tell your tutor not to have lessons, and setup alternative arrangements (see dot point 2 below on online tutoring).
2. Migrating to Online Tutoring (Alternative Form of Tutoring)
If you wish to still have lessons with your tutor, but do not want them to be done in-person, then online tutoring is a great way to ensure you can keep up with school work but not be exposed. Your tutor has been informed and trained on how to use online tutoring in a separate email.
Here’s how it works and here’s how to get started.
Contact your tutor via their number/email in your online account.
Tell your tutor you’d like to switch to online tutoring in the meantime.
If you haven’t already installed Skype on your device, be sure to download it here. Skype is a great way to connect with your tutor remotely and you can both share your screens and work, along with video/audio calls.
Your tutor will request your username in Skype so they can add you and then once they add you they can call you through the software. Not sure how to add your tutor as a contact in Skype? Learn more here.
Your lesson will occur as normal with your tutor through online (Skype). You can even record calls so you can review educational material at a later date!
After each lesson occurs the tutor will log your lesson on our online system, and as normal LearnMate will charge your credit/debit card and you will be notified of a charge. Everything else remains the same with how you currently request, log lessons and get charged – the only difference is the method through which tutoring is done – through online (Skype).
Note: if your tutor does not wish to conduct online lessons, then you may request another tutor here on the LearnMate site as we have a separate search function for online tutoring. Note that we also offer tutoring on ‘Zoom‘, which is also free to use, however, we have found that Skype is easier to use and easier to setup. If you’d like to avail Zoom instead of Skype, please just ask your tutor per the instruction above.
STUDENT SAFETY REGARDING ONLINE TUTORING
As online tutoring is more of a closed environment compared to in-person lessons, we urge tutors to following certain safety protocols (which tutors are also informed about):
If possible, ensure you and your tutor hold lessons in a communal area (e.g. a living or lounge room). We advise against having lessons in the bedroom.
If possible, we recommend you keep your in-built speakers on loud (so not on headphones), so that you can talk into your device through the in-built microphone, and hear through the in-built speakers on your device (e.g. the speakers that come in-built into your laptop and not headphones). However, if this causes technical difficulties then you may choose to use headphones.
Why record a lesson? Simple. After the lesson occurs your student can review what they learnt to even better enhance their learning. It’s also a great way for you to review your own lesson to see where you may want to improve.
It is important to remember that symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or tiredness, while consistent with coronavirus, are symptoms that are associated with other illnesses, including the common cold and flu. Unless you have seen a medical professional and have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should not assume you have the virus, but be vigilant in your hygiene.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, breathing difficulties, a cough or sore throat, and have recently returned from an affected country, or come into contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, separate yourself from others and call the dedicated Victorian Department of Human Health and Services COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398.
If you have severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, call 000 immediately and request an ambulance.
For general information on COVID-19, you can also contact the Department of Health national hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 020 080.
LearnMate understand many of you will be concerned about COVID-19 and are closely following the situation as it continues to evolve and unfold around the world. A few days ago the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
LearnMate will now be operating in line with its pandemic plan. As such, we will continue to adapt and adjust our operations to deliver high-quality tutoring to our students while ensuring all students, parents and tutors remain safe. As we pivot we will keep you informed with changes as and when they occur.
We have appropriate business continuity planning and procedures in place, and our next steps will be informed by the overall guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and decisions made by the federal and state governments and associated health services.
To get started on seeing how you can best prepare to ensure continuity of educational support and best reduction of health risks, please select a link below:
This article has been written by Lydia McClelland, a VCE French, Music Theory, Literature & VCE English Tutor at Learnmate. If you’re interested in private tutoring from Lydia then please check out her page here.
It is hard to deny the power of technology today. While some of the more outlandish theories from the past have not yet come into fruition (see: AI running the world), a great wealth of technology is available at just the click of a mouse or the tap of a finger. Combine technology with learning and you can find a world of opportunities which seem endless.
So, what are some of the ways you can integrate technology into the classroom?
Interactive whiteboards are popular tools for teachers. These allow teachers to annotate online documents and easily correct work for all students to see. Dangers still remain: how many students can remember squirming with both amusement and concern as a teacher destroyed a SMART board with a regular whiteboard marker?
Use technology to gauge the general opinions about a topic in the room in a non-threatening way. Many students fear speaking up in front of an entire class, so using technology can be a useful way of gauging the opinions of students beyond those who are more confident. Websites such as Poll Everywhere and Socrative can allow fun, healthy conversations in a class. Keep in mind that you might want to save this for more mature students, as the prospect of hiding behind anonymity to send through something inappropriate can be too tempting for the class clowns.
Tablets, when provided to a class, can allow students to access material in a more engaging way. Imagine using a textbook which weighs next to nothing and has exercises embedded within it!
What are the benefits of technology-driven education?
Learning outcomes can improve when technology is harnessed well. It has been found that 70 per cent of students score more highly in assessments and report better attendance in ‘active-learning environments that use technology than traditional ones.’
The possibilities for connection through collaboration and teamwork are widened by the use of technology. The use of forums and shared documents allow students from across the globe to connect, share ideas and work together.
Students gain skills which will be indispensable in the future (and also, clearly, in the present), in a rapidly evolving technological climate. With the development of exciting, new possibilities, jobseekers who are adaptable and more technologically literate are well-placed to impress potential employers.
Quite simply, it’s fun! Students love getting to use new technologies, and it is never a bad thing when students are enjoying learning. Technology might very well be the difference between a lesson turning out dry and boring, or exciting and memorable. In a world where it is increasingly difficult to maintain people’s attention for longer periods of time, technology increases engagement and can allow some students to participate in lessons more actively.
Technology is a good back-up option if there happened to be, hypothetically, a novel virus spreading around the world. At the time of writing (March 2020), educational institutions around the world are increasingly adopting technology such as apps, Zoom and Skype as a temporary or long-term replacement for face-to-face learning in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
LearnMate is Australia’s leading tutoring agency offering private lessons in all primary & high school subjects including English, maths, science, humanities, foreign languages, and so much more. Our mission is simple: to provide professional, engaging and enthusiastic tutors to students, while also ensuring the student feels empowered and confident during their assessments! Ultimately, our goal is to empower students all over Australia to achieve amazing results and make their dreams come true!
LearnMate provides you with tailored, one-on-one lessons for tutoring in a variety of suburbs in Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth & Adelaide! With hundreds of tutors on the LearnMate platform, you’re bound to find someone local for any primary or high school year level! You can choose to have lessons in-person or online – whatever is easiest for you!
LearnMate considered and appreciated the characteristics and nature of the tutor requested and worked well with me to align my Yr11 child with a suitable tutor. They are getting along very well and the tutoring is having a marked effect on the approach to work. We look forward to seeing the improved assessment performance in line with the capability and confidence boost.
Easy to use site, and easy to find and book a tutor. My daughter enjoyed working with her maths methods tutor, concentrating on areas that needed to be worked on as well as learning tips that she had not been shown in the school classroom.
We had the first lesson this week and my son felt so happy and more confident after the hour. He found the tutor was able to explain and made it easy to understand his maths.
I am very happy with Mikhail from LearnMate. We were choosing a tutor for our daughter, who is a primary school student struggling with phonics and reading. He is wonderful, with lovely manners and has established a good relationship in a short time . My daughter enjoys and looks forward to her private lessons. She actually started to read and it seems that she is enjoying the reading now.
We are very pleased with choosing LearnMate. The tutor we chose for my daughter is wonderful and has a lovely manner and has established a good rapport in a short space of time . My daughter enjoys and looks forward to her private lessons .
My primary school son has responded well to receiving online tutoring sessions, possible more receptive than in person. The tutor has helped to extend his writing whilst keeping him focused during the 1 hour session.
I’m glad I’ve contacted LearnMate tutoring, very friendly and staff are helpful. Reliable and knowledgeable tutor. Would recommend LearnMate for tutoring.
My sister in law introduced me to LearnMate and I couldn't thank her enough. LearnMate has found us an excellent tutor to hep my son with his Biology. LearnMate has made the process of finding a tutor very easy but at the same time making sure that they provide the best quality of tutors. My son's tutor, Peta, has helped him gain his confidence with his Biology as well as great school results.
Great tutor, who has improved my daughters understanding of Maths immensely. My daughter has gone from not being confident with her maths to passing every exam she has sat and is improving all the time. Highly recommended. Value for money and very convenient, with lessons taking place in a library or even at your home if you wish. Highly recommended.
This website provides a great and place for students to get in contact with tutors as provides a range of tutors for the students to sort through so they can find one that best suits their needs. LearnMate is a great place to work as they take care of both the students and tutors very well incentivising their tutors to work more productively.
The tutors that we have are really helpful. They all know what they're doing and willing to assist anytime outside of tutoring hours, via email. So far our kids are very happy with their tutors from LearnMate.
Simple and easy process. From sign up to allocating a tutor to eventually undertaking the classes with the selected tutor, the whole experience had been seamless and stress free. Our daughter has grown in confidence with the chosen subject and seems to be be improving week on week. Thank you LearnMate tutoring. Proven to be the right decision in the end.
Very easy to use and set up lessons. My son is only up to his second lesson, but already he said it is such a big help having someone to go though things one on one.
This website comes in quite handy when you don't know who to approach for help with tutoring your child. My daughter is pretty happy with the tutor I found through learnmate. You are doing a great job guys!
LearnMate is so easy to use. Whether searching and finding a suitable tutor, to requesting/scheduling sessions. I do like that I don't have to handle the payment side and it's managed by LearnMate. Would recommend to family & friends...in fact I have.
Our first lesson with Elizabeth was fantastic - my daughter was so comfortable with her & had nothing but good to say about her tutor & the lesson that was given - we are both very pleased & looking forward to the next lessons Thank youKind regards Fiona
We have found an amazing Tutor. My son is in year 11 and his tutor was able to build rapport with him and make him feel comfortable asking questions and reviewing his work. The LearnMate site is easy to use and very professional.
Ann was polite, on time, mature and very flexible. She worked well with my daughter during the session and so overall a good first time experience of the calibre of the LearnMate tutors.
Great idea for a service. Completely legit and very easy, everything is done for you (payment and matching to tutors based on subject and area) and all there is to worry about is organising a time. Have and would definitely recommend.
Our daughter loves her maths tutor. She explains problems to our daughter in a way that makes sense to her, she has a clear plan and study strategy . We are very happy as is our child.
We are very impressed with Michael's professionalism and also his work ethic in tutoring our son in for Year 12 VCE. He has already made a difference early on. We look forward to his positive role in furthering our son's abilities across his final year. We highly recommend LearnMate.
It was really easy to locate the tutors in our area, and view their profile. We then selected the one that seemed the best fit, and made all the arrangements, including billing through the app. A very simple process.
Easy to access quality tutors- teenagers reviewed profiles and identified who they thought would suit them- received a text and first appointment was arranged and our Tutor was simply fantastic ! very happy students!
I found the tutors whom I engaged to work with my son to have thorough knowledge of the subject. They are intrinsically motivated to help my son to succeed and thrive.
Our tutor Megan is always on time to start with. She has worked with our (3) eldest children, being in Grade 6, Year 8 & 9 respectively. Megan has assisted our eldest with her maths 'blockage' to rise from a D grade in late Year 8 to achieving Bs and As mid way thru Year 9.
Great service and high quality tutors. Staff are always on hand to help with any issues. Highly recommend using LearnMate if you are looking for tutors to help you improve your learning or get to the next level!
Good quality tutoring. Highly recommend using their services. Also very good use of technology to ease the operational aspects like class reminders, payments and invoices.
We are very happy with the tutor's knowledge, ability to explain a concept and teach and the enthusiasm. Having discovered Learn Mate I would always choose to use them in the future over other companies.
We had an amazing tutor (Christine Zhong) come to our home and helped my daughter to understand some complicated material. She was passionate about getting her to understand the material and was very easy for my daughter to relate to. I was so thankful that LearnMate’s fees are so reasonable and I am now able to afford ongoing tutoring for her. They also have discount packages.
Excellent, well run tutoring agency with very high standards expected of all tutors. Certainly helping many young Australians succeed in their studies.
Needed quick help just a few days before my son's exams, contacted Learnmate. We got immediately response. Same day in just few hours, everything was arranged, we had a tutor next day. Our tutor was professional, polite, kind and have the knowledge about how to do the tutoring and to get my son interested and listen to him. I can highly recommend this service.
LearnMate is an incredible service. Exceptional customer service on every level. Our math tutor was outstanding. Not only as a tutor but also a mentor. Thank you LearnMate.
Probably the best tutoring service on the market. Looked up a tutor and within 3 hours I was confirmed with that tutor I wanted and had a booking for the very next day. Made life so much easier, and cheaper as well with direct debit and not having to line the pockets of the "big" tutoring centres. A+ experience with LearnMate
Very professional Teacher. Have been wasting time and money last 4 years in the Tuition Centres. Just used Learnmate Tutor one to one and found that the system is very efficient, tutor is highly knowledgeable and our child is so happy to go for the lessons unlike earlier our child never interested to go for tuition centre. Hats off to LearnMate Tutoring
HOW TO TUTOR ONLINE
See our recommendations below.
Here’s how it works and here’s how to get started.
