Online Tutoring On Spires (Review)

The world of online tutoring is rapidly changing. 

As technological developments push new boundaries and old educational ideas remain static, a gulf will continue to open. If students are not progressing in school, they can supplement with online tutoring. They already are. 

 

In the online tutoring world, there are many players. The list would be too exhaustive to go through here. But generally, in the ‘first phase’ of online tutoring (much like the ‘first phase’ of the internet itself) the landscape was a Wild West. Early start-ups did not vet teachers, and particularly in language-centered tutoring there were no barriers to entry. Anyone with internet access and a working camera could teach. There are pros to such a libertarian approach but there are also drawbacks. The openness meant that many experienced teachers had to lower their prices and do free trial classes to retain students. On sites such as Preply commission continues to be ridiculously high for new tutors on the platform (at 33% for the first 20 hours of lessons). At such low prices, experienced teachers are unlikely to put in the time.

 

Then we have Spires. 

 

“Launched in 2014 by visionary Oxbridge graduates, Spires Online Tutors stands as the world’s inaugural online tutoring marketplace. Breaking traditional geographical barriers in education, Spires allows learners globally to access high-quality tutors in over 400 subject areas. spanning from core subjects like maths, English, physics, or chemistry at 11 plus, GCSE, A-Level, or IB; through to finance, the social sciences, languages, or dissertations tutors at the university level. Professional certification, Oxbridge entrance tests and English language academic subject support for non-native English speakers are also available... Every tutor on Spires is meticulously selected following a rigorous selection process, reinforcing the platform’s unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier education to students in all corners of the world.” 

-Yahoo Finance

 

What separates Spires in many ways is their premium quality. Tutors are interviewed before they are given access to the platform and must demonstrate their ability with a demo lesson (while also submitting a police background check). This immediately adds legitimacy and gives students a sense of trust. 

 

As a tutor on the platform myself I can attest that its structure is also unique. Students on the platform post what they need help with (subject and specifics) and applicable tutors will bid on the students’ post. The student can then select the tutor based on the tutor’s vetted profile and proposed price. This bidding system is quite effective and usually directs the lesson request to the applicable tutor. Once the class is secured teachers use Spires’s video classroom system to teach. I will also say that their system is convenient to use and more effective than many of its competitors. 

As Spire’s LinkedIn page notes: “Spires combines machine learning algorithms, a reverse auction bidding system, a fully integrated online classroom and whiteboard and much more to create personalised and successful educational outcomes for students at all levels.”

 

Spires does also have a high commission similar to Preply, however, this is contracted by the high price students are willing to pay for vetted teachers. This ultimately means that teachers on Spires can make a more appropriate tutoring income. For example, with regards to essay corrections and feedback sessions, most students are willing to pay around £45 which after commission works out at around £30, a realistic sum for a 1hr of tutoring.

 

I have taught a wide variety of lessons on the platform in my first 3 months. From philosophy essay corrections to English as a second language classes, to writing up meeting minutes based on an audio transcript, to secondary-level English comprehension classes. Communication on the platform has always been professional. 

 

As the landscape of online tutoring continues to evolve many more platforms will likely pop up to challenge existing trends. For now, Spires sits quite high above many of its competitors. To succeed in the long run, it will need to compensate its tutors appropriately and retain its most crucial talent. With competent and creative tutors and an effective teaching and bidding system, the sky is the limit for this London-based company. 

Reference: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/record-breaking-success-spires-online-130000971.html

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spires-tutoring/?originalSubdomain=uk

Check out my Spires Profile with the link:  https://spires.co/profile/ShaneBreen

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