Private tuition offers the best value for learning especially if any of the following points applies to your child:
1. Your child is performing at a level below average in class – This may either mean that your child is blessed to be in a good class/school, or it could mean that he is lacking in some of his foundation or learning techniques.
2. Your child is brimming with questions at home but he does not ask his teachers in class – Questioning is a great way to learn as it generates rigorous thinking and analysis.
3. Your child is unmotivated to learn, let alone be concerned about grades.
4. Group/class tuition has not helped pull up his grades or helped him be more interested in learning after 6 months.
5. Not only is he not doing well in class, he may be developing a set of undesirable behaviour or mindset. Schools are getting ever-more competitive and a large number of students risk getting left behind if parents are not aware of the learning capabilities of their children. Students may be able to score consistently well (80 marks and above) in class at lower primary or secondary levels but their performance may drop gradually as they move up the grade. This can be due to a variety of reasons. Private tuition may help your child overcome the underlying problems which are producing symptoms such as those shown above.
The student may be lacking in his foundation and is having trouble understanding a more advanced concepts. The learning process is extremely fast paced in school nowadays. Imagine if a student has not familiarized himself thoroughly with his multiplication table, he would suffer a great deal when he has to process the large numbers that are common in upper primary level. Having an experienced tutor will be advantageous as he/she is able to spot such fundamental problems and offer effective remedies. Students in class usually do not have the luxury of such personal attention from their teachers. If the student has been studying relatively hard and yet has not been performing well, it may mean that he has not mastered learning techniques and shortcuts which other students may already be using. Tutors with good academic backgrounds usually have a whole host of learning techniques that can be general or subject specific. For instance, to enhance memory, Reasoning is normally used in conjunction with Organization of data or Imagery.
Of course, parents are always encouraged to be the first line of defense against this volley of queries. It is paramount that your child is surrounded by people who can answer his questions so that his/her thinking is continually engaged. Thinking and reasoning are instrumental to learning and you can show your child that learning and thinking can be fun and fulfilling. If for some reason you are not able to constantly engage your child intellectually, a private tutor can be a great source of intellectual discovery for your child.
Experienced tutors know that no matter what they may teach or lecture to an unmotivated student, no permanent learning would probably take place. The student may grudgingly memorize or study enough to pass a test, but the knowledge gets disposed of immediately thereafter. A private tutor may work with you to find a combination of motivating factors that are effective for your child and help him/her be inclined towards learning. In the short term, grade/learning targets may be set for the student, coupled with small rewards that are highly valued by the student if he achieves it. Tutors who are relatively fresh from school may provide insights that excite the willingness in students to learn, such as by planning the CCA and academic tracks of the student together.
The student may not have made a habit of focusing intently in class during lessons. He/she may even be too occupied establishing rapport with friends or getting involved in rubber-band skirmishes and the likes in class. Tutors actively demand the full attention and focus of the student during tuition and this helps to habituate students to listening whenever a teacher delivers a lesson. A good tutor will advance the thinking skills of students further by providing frameworks (theories) which the student may use in their analysis.
The word “Discipline!” may be screaming in the minds of parents who encounter such problems with their children. You are right that rules, discipline, and punishment may be important in the development of a child. So too, are rewards, reasoning, and role-modeling in guiding your child towards the right direction of development. A carefully selected tutor may serve as an inspiring role model from which the student may learn and emulate. This will definitely be an important factor which can steer your child towards a path of success and achievement. The process of learning involves a complexity of factors which parents and educators must be mindful of. Should there be any absence of adequate support at home or in school, the personal guidance of a private tutor would be of inordinate value to a student. Read about the different types of Tutors - MOE teachers, full-time tutors and undergrads View more articles