We are now in the middle of a school term. We do not have anymore reason to postpone our decision whether to get a tutor for the children. However, the nagging question persists:
"Will my children be at a disadvantage if they do not have a tutor?"
Many parents feel insecure if their children do not have any form of tuition or enrichment lessons. To answer this question satisfactorily, we, as parents, need to know our own intentions and the needs of our children.
With all good intentions, we need to be honest with ourselves and differentiate between the genuine need to get extra coaching to help our children understand concepts and just another attempt to make them score more A*s. Listen to your children. Understand their needs and struggles. If good results are not forthcoming, find out the reasons first. Tuition may not always be the solution.
What do we want "tuition" to achieve?
It takes two hands to clap. In order to succeed, the tutor needs all the support from the family and cooperation from the children. Try answering the following questions to gauge your own expectations:
- Do you want the tutor to give extra work on top of the school's homework?
- Do you merely need the tutor to sit with your children to ensure completion of homework?
- How much preparation do you require of your tutor in order to teach a concept well?
- What type of materials do you expect the tutor to use? Are assessment books sufficient for your children?
- Do you expect the tutor to plan lessons to suit the individual needs of each child?
- Do you require your children to participate in the lesson by reading up on the topic before the tutor arrives and then asking meaningful questions?
These are difficult questions to answer and it may not be easy to find a "one size fits all" tutor. Alternatively, you may be your children's best tutor if you have adequate mastery of the subjects and regular time with them. You can be the coach, mentor, facilitator and friend that your children need.
Sharon Ngoi Peck Yong is the Education Director of ASKnLearn Pte Ltd and PAVE Language Centre Pte Ltd. She lectured in the preschool diploma and certificate courses and was formerly a Head of Department in a Primary School. She has written for several parenting and education magazines and has three school-aged children.
Copyright© 2006 ASKnLearn Pte Ltd.
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