Fair questions
The things parents ask us.
My child can just ask an AI chatbot. Why pay for this?
A chatbot will answer any question your child asks it, instantly, correctly, and without ever checking whether they learned anything. That is very useful for finishing homework and close to useless for passing an exam.
What we sell is the part software can't do: a person who notices your child is nodding along without understanding, makes them try it themselves before showing them, and tells you honestly how it's going. Most of our students use AI too. We just make sure it isn't doing the thinking for them.
There's a tutor in my neighbourhood who charges less. What am I paying for?
Usually the difference is whether anyone checked that they can teach. A strong student or a working engineer knows the answer. Knowing why your child got it wrong, and what to do about it, is a separate skill, and it's the one we screen for before a tutor is put in front of a student.
If price is the deciding factor, a good inexpensive tutor is genuinely better than no tutor. We'd rather tell you that than pretend otherwise.
What if my child doesn't get along with the tutor?
Tell us and we'll switch, at no cost and without a conversation about why. Fit matters more in tutoring than in almost anything else, and a student who dreads Tuesday at 5pm will not learn on Tuesday at 5pm.
In person or online?
Both. We have tutors across Southern Ontario — Toronto, York Region, Peel, Durham, Waterloo, Hamilton and beyond — who can come to you or meet at a library. Online works well for Grade 11 and 12 students who are self-directed. For younger students, in person is usually worth it.
How are tutors screened?
Every tutor teaches a live mock lesson to one of us before they are put in front of a student. There are no exceptions to that, including for certified teachers: a credential says someone was trained, not that they teach well, and the mock lesson is the part that tells us.
Vulnerable sector checks depend on how the sessions run. Any tutor who meets your child in person holds a current vulnerable sector check from their local police service, and we have seen it before the first session — no exceptions there either. A tutor who does not hold a current check takes online sessions only, never in person. Each tutor's status is shown on their card in the roster, and we confirm it with you when we propose a match, before anything is booked. If you would rather only be matched with a tutor who holds a completed check, tell us and that is what we will do.
One thing worth being straight about: a police record check reports what a police service held on the day it was issued. It is a real filter and it is not a guarantee about a person, which is why it sits alongside the mock lesson and the written note that tells you what happened in every session.
Some come to us already credentialed, as Ontario Certified Teachers or teacher candidates in an active program, and their registration numbers are available on request. They pick the topic and we play the student, deliberately not following it the first time. What we watch for is the gap between knowing the material and being able to teach it: whether they check what the student already knows before explaining, what they do with a wrong answer, and whether they have a second explanation ready when the first one does not land. The process is published in full on our tutor page.
You list a lot of courses. Can you really staff all of them?
Not every course, every week. We match on teachable subject, so if the specialist for your child's course is fully booked, we'll tell you that on the call and give you a realistic date rather than putting a maths tutor in front of a chemistry problem.
We also work with schools, sports clubs and community organizations that want group academic support attached to what they already run. Ask us.
How do I actually book, and what happens after the call?
Book the free 30-minute call from the button at the top of any page. We talk through what's going on, and if it's a fit, we match a tutor to the course and get a first session on the calendar, usually within the week. There's no separate sign-up step and nothing to fill out beforehand.
Is there a contract, or can we stop anytime?
No contract either way. Pay session by session with nothing owed in advance, or prepay for a package to save on the rate — and if you stop partway through a package, we refund whatever's left at the regular per-session rate. No notice period, no fee for leaving.
How do we pay, and when?
By card through a secure invoice, or by e-transfer if you'd rather. Invoices go out on a regular schedule based on sessions completed, not sessions guessed at in advance, so you're never paying for tutoring that hasn't happened yet.
Will my child have the same tutor every week?
Yes, by default. Consistency is most of what makes tutoring work, so once a tutor is matched, they stay unless you ask to switch or they have a genuine scheduling conflict. If a tutor is briefly unavailable, for practicum or otherwise, we'll cover the session rather than cancel it outright, and we'll tell you in advance when that's happening.
What does a session actually look like?
Sessions run 60 or 90 minutes depending on the plan. The first one is a diagnostic, figuring out where the actual gap is rather than diving straight into homework. After that it's a mix of direct instruction, practice problems your tutor picks based on what's shaky, and a short written summary sent to you afterward so you know what happened without asking.
Can two of my kids share a plan, or split a session?
Each child gets their own session, since a 1-on-1 session is built around one student's actual gaps, but if your kids are close in course and level, a small group session with each other is often cheaper per hour than two separate ones. Ask on the call and we'll figure out what fits your family.
My child is younger than Grade 9, or in university. Can you still help?
The site is built around Grades 9 to 12 because that's where we're strongest today, but get in touch anyway. As we bring on more tutors we're expanding beyond that range, and we'd rather tell you honestly whether we can help than turn you away without asking.
How long until we actually see improvement?
It depends on the gap, but most families notice a real difference within four to six weekly sessions, a test grade, a homework night that didn't end in a fight, a student who tries the hard question before asking for help. If a tutor isn't the right fit or the approach isn't working, we'd rather hear that early and adjust than have you wait it out.
Can we request a specific tutor?
Yes, if you've met one already or a friend referred you to someone specific. Otherwise we match based on the course, your child's level, and scheduling, and you'll always know who's coming before the first session.
Is my payment information secure?
Card payments go through Stripe, which handles the transaction directly, we never see or store your card details. E-transfer works the same way it would with anyone else you send money to.
Do you help with exam prep, not just weekly homework?
Yes. A lot of our sessions in the weeks before an exam or a culminating task shift entirely toward that, past papers, timed practice, and going over exactly what will be assessed. Tell your tutor what's coming up and the sessions will reflect it.
What about school breaks or the summer?
Sessions pause if you want them to, there's no obligation to keep a weekly slot over a break you don't need it for. Some families use the summer to get ahead of a course they're worried about instead, that's fine too. Just let us know what you'd like.
Are evening or weekend sessions available?
Yes, most of our sessions happen after school or on weekends, since that's when students and tutors are actually free. Exact availability depends on the tutor you're matched with, and we'll confirm a time that works before anything is booked.
Is there a travel fee for in-person sessions?
Only if you're outside the radius your tutor normally covers. Within it, the published rate is what you pay. Beyond it, we add a flat travel fee per session, and you'll know the exact amount on the intro call, before you book anything.
It shows up as its own line on the invoice rather than being folded into the hourly rate, so you can always see what's tutoring and what's travel. Online sessions never carry it.
Start here
Book a free 30-minute call.
A conversation, not a pitch. We'll ask what's going on and tell you honestly whether we can help. If we can't, we'll try to point you to someone who can.
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