In today’s crowded classrooms, even the brightest students can struggle to reach their full potential. Parents often ask: Is there a better way? At The Tenney School, the answer is clear—and it’s backed by results. Our students have improved their test scores by an impressive 9.6% over the past year, proving that one-on-one learning isn’t just a theory—it’s a game-changer. Here’s why personalized education could be the key your child needs to unlock their true potential.

The Challenges of Traditional Classroom Learning

The traditional classroom has a number of challenges that can contribute to a ‘less than stellar’ academic experience. It’s all too common to hear about students falling through the cracks, having issues with anxiety, falling behind, and more in this classroom setting. But why is this? Let’s discuss 3 of the most common factors that can contribute to a student having this negative experience.

Overcrowded Classrooms

These traditional classrooms are notorious for having too many students present. It’s common to have anywhere from 15 to even 30 students in one classroom! This sense of overcrowding can severely impact your student’s experience when it comes to learning. Additionally, teachers will prioritize teaching to the average student. This leaves gifted students bored as they wait for the class to catch up while students who struggle feel like they’re falling further and further behind.

Lack of Individual Attention

Because these classrooms have a lot of students—many students become frustrated with the lack of individualized attention that would otherwise be present in a one-on-one learning setting. Students may feel frustrated that their voice isn’t be heard too. Students who have anxiety may feel too anxious to participate while other students may prioritize distracting the class for attention. Either way—the lack of individual attention greatly affects the student learning experience in a negative way.

Generic Curriculum

A larger classroom environment can force many teachers into a ‘box’ when it comes to drafting and creating lessons. For this reason, many teachers choose to opt for a generic curriculum where they teach from the book. While this falls in line with many states’ academic standards—students may still have a negative experience

What Makes One-on-One Learning Different?

As the name implies, one-on-one features a unique learning style in that every core class is taught one-on-one. This means there’s one teacher and one student during instructional time. So how does this benefit the student? Well—students are now able to move at their own pace while the teacher can adjust the lesson to best accommodate the student. This means the student will be getting the most individualized instruction possible! So, let’s break down one-on-one learning further into the primary benefits:

Tailored Instruction

As briefly mentioned above, a big benefit of one-on-one learning is the tailored instruction. With one-on-one sessions, the teacher is able to accommodate the lesson plan to the student. This makes it extremely beneficial for students of all levels. If a student is struggling—the teacher can slow the pace of the lesson down, whereas with a gifted student—they can speed it up! This ensures that the student is engaged during the whole lesson regardless of their academic level.

Immediate Feedback

A difficulty present in larger classrooms is the lack of feedback from the teacher. In a one-on-one learning setting, a student can get immediate feedback on their work. This not only increases engagement in the classroom but can help students overcome academic obstacles at a quicker pace. This increase in support also improves student confidence as they develop a better understanding on the content being covered.

Stronger Relationships

Another additional benefit of one-on-one learning is the presence of a stronger relationship between the student and teacher. In a larger setting, the teacher has little time to get to know each one of their students which can leave students feeling disconnected. This lowers student confidence and ultimately stifles their academic potential as the lessons are taught at them instead of to them. In a small, individualized setting, we’re able to facilitate a strong student-teacher bond that lays the groundwork for academic excellence.

The Proof is in the 9.6% Improvement

Our Study

Each year, our students are required to take the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT10). This test evaluates students in multiple different categories academically to give a generalized percentile on where they stand in the country. When comparing our 2025 Spring results against the Fall 2024 results, we found that our students had a 9.6% improvement over last year. This means our students moved ahead of nine out of every 100 students nationally in just one year! We’re so proud of our students and teachers for achieving this great feat!

How One-on-One Works

So how does our one-on-one program work? Whether you’re looking for in-person or online learning, The Tenney School can help you! Our program specializes in one-on-one learning for all core academic subjects while allowing small group learning for labs, electives, and homeroom. This gives students the right amount of balance between individualized attention and social learning where they can forge friendships and bonds. I encourage you to inquire today for more information on how we can help you and your student!