[Closed] Kids and "extra tuition".

I tutor A-level politics, kids I have tutored have been from a variety of schools (grammar too) a variety of abilities. Some aren't happy with the teaching, some parents just want just that little bit of extra guidance or someone to motivate their kid, I even tutored the son of our local MP. I wouldn't say it is becuase they are all unhappy with the quality of the teaching, however with a crisis in recruitment and retention of teachers in many schools, many pupils just do not get the quality and consistency needed to succeed.

I am happy to do it though for up to £30 per hour!

Unintended consequences, eh? Over-regulation of school curriculum and focus on grades/league tables leads to good teachers leaving and worsening inequality of access to education.

Apparently its immoral to give your children help when other parents cannot afford it. I am whipping myself with birch twigs as we speak.

I'm doing this right now with my year 11 daughter. she's a bright kid but school seems to have left her with gaps in her knowledge that disproportionately affects her confidence in the subject. We are using a tutor to focus on those gaps and bring her confidence up across the board.

I can whole heartedly say it was worth every penny.
Daughter is back with her now for a little bit of year 13 alevel chemistry teaching, she clearly has a soft spot for our daughter as she was there for 90 mins yesterday and it's only supposed to be an hour.

Apparently its immoral to give your children help when other parents cannot afford it. I am whipping myself with birch twigs as we speak

I have to agree that's how the beeb article came across. We even had to give up a couple of good bottles of sauvignon each week so we could afford it 🙄

As above, both my children benefit from a tutor to plug the gaps, increase confidence and give them an opportunity to ask questions in a 1 to 1 scenario rather than competing with 29 other kids for the teachers attention.

When selecting a tutor i've found its worth paying extra for someone who is or was recently in the education system for a reasonable time at a reasonable level. It costs more but works out cheaper in the long run as they really maximise the time available by getting straight to the heart of the issue using their accumulated knowledge of where children normally struggle in a given area.

Slight hijack, but how do people find tutors?

We found a Maths one based on a postcard in the local shop, but can’t find an English one. We asked the school and the teacher was against private tutors so just gave us a lecture about not letting the tutor do the homework!

No good teacher should be against private tutors. But any tutor that just helps with homework isn't worth paying.

Recommendation from friends is how we found both of ours.

I'd echo Winston. I was recommended by friends of students I had tutored from my school.

Also, if it is for A-level or GCSE. Make sure the tutor knows the specification inside out, try finding out if they are an examiner for that board too.

I never tutored anyone studying AQA etc. just Edexcel, as that is what I taught and that is who I was an examiner for.

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

Go on, take a wild guess - you are clearly very intelligent if you think you are able to tutor Maths, English and Sciences to the required level.

Seriously? Maybe because not every parent knows what is on the syllabus and how to teach it?

I had enough trouble helping the kids with GCSE stuff - GCSE maths is fricking hard!

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

Easy. She's reached a level of attainment beyond mine.

At 44 I have a maths tutor for my Mech Eng degree.

There's no way I'd learn enough from lectures without him, he has identified how I learn, what methods work for me, and more importantly given me confidence to get through.

This is all on a 1 to 1 basis, obviously, and he got my niece an A in her higher maths too by the same method.

If that's what her and I need, then so be it, a teacher can't devote that kind of time to 1 person.

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

I did a level maths and chemistry and went on to do chemistry at uni, I was absolutely dumbfounded (literally felt dumb) at how little information I had retained and how there was stuff at GCSE i couldn't help with. That's years of drinking stella, reading the sun and being a hairy arse builder for you!

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

Personally because I can't remember half of the stuff I learned at GCSE level, let alone A-Level.

Our Son had big gaps in his Maths knowledge and it was becoming a problem as he couldn't build on this and as he was getting older he was getting left further behind.

We used a tutoring centre, so it's 2 or 3 kids at the same level with a single tutor. Ours was a former School Head and current inspector.

It sort of run it's course, they filled the gaps but then were teaching a lot of stuff he'd be learning the following year and he got fed up of going and doing the extra homework.

I have two children at secondary and if I'm being honest I don't really know how well they're doing, or when extra tuition would be helpful. Sure, we go to all the parents evenings and keep an eye on homework (doing it properly not just getting it done). On the face of it they're doing ok but that's all I know really

Also, if it is for A-level or GCSE. Make sure the tutor knows the specification inside out, try finding out if they are an examiner for that board too.

100 % this! I do believe the daughters tutor Mark's exam papers during the summer also for extra income.

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

We are. We probably do 10 - 12 hours a weeks with my 14 year old who , shall we say, "lacks focus".

If you've got the course material and there are loads of online resources, it's not that hard to  explain,  practice and reinforce the work that they've already been taught at school.

On the face of it they’re doing ok but that’s all I know really

No offence but that's a piss poor effort by the school. At least with the right information you can make decisions to help your kids.
I've got to give credit where it's due and our school is very good at communicating with parents and will always respond to emails. Unfortunately I've ruffled a few feathers with my emails in the past which has resulted in a few "comments" let's say, but there has a been a huge shake up in the science dept with several teachers being "moved on" and the ensuing results have shown the improvements.

Its going to be very tough for this generation of kids to get good jobs and I see it as an investment so that I'm not keeping them till they are 30 plus!

We are. We probably do 10 – 12 hours a weeks with my 14 year old who , shall we say, “lacks focus”.

Tutoring him in one liners and witty comebacks I hope 😉

Tutoring him in one liners and witty comebacks I hope

They don't need that from me, the cheeky little blighters.

My partner is a maths teacher and doesn't think kids should need tutors if the school is doing it's job because she runs revision sessions over the holidays and several after-school session during the week and expects other in the department to do the same. However she excepts thatmany schools and departments don't bother with any of these extra sessions or revision sessions.

I have two children at secondary and if I’m being honest I don’t really know how well they’re doing, or when extra tuition would be helpful. Sure, we go to all the parents evenings and keep an eye on homework (doing it properly not just getting it done). On the face of it they’re doing ok but that’s all I know really

I’m sure they’re doing fine, but in my bitter experience you need to be wary of some teachers.

For years we got the whole “he’s doing great, he’s in my group for Maths and Miss Teaching Assist’s group for English and currently at a *completely without context* grade“ and we’d be pleased because They said “he’s doing great” It was only when he started to worry because he was going “down” to another group we actually worked out that grade *completely without context* was below where he should be for his age and he was struggling. I don’t know if it was a case of him being below average for that subject and half the kids have to be below average or it wouldn’t be average or frankly because Parents Evening is a bit of chore and they’d rather be at home. I fear the latter.

In fairness High School wasn’t like that, even though I know we’ve been told “he’s doing great” by at least 1 teacher who’s sent him out of class a few times for being a Div and didn’t do him homework for an entire term because he hid it from us.

didn’t do him homework for an entire term because he hid it from us.

We are just going through the process of looking at secondary schools and the ones we have seen all have online systems where we can log in and not only see what homework they have, but also any they haven't handed in. They also have a system of giving praise / misbehaviour flags using the app during lessons. If they get a set number of negatives during a period they get automatic detentions. I think its a great system and gives lots of transparency.

£30 per hour, of which 100% percent goes to the teacher (who is taxed on it and not a registered charity) for a service which directly benefits the childs education and/or exam results.
0% going to fancy rugby pitches and entitled attitudes.
How do the anti private education people feel on this?

We are just going through the process of looking at secondary schools and the ones we have seen all have online systems where we can log in and not only see what homework they have, but also any they haven’t handed in. They also have a system of giving praise / misbehaviour flags using the app during lessons. If they get a set number of negatives during a period they get automatic detentions. I think its a great system and gives lots of transparency.

Yeah ours has that too ha ha.

It's called SIMS and it relies on Staff updating it, some do, some don't, some of the ones that do, don't do so consistently. Sadly the ones that don't are also more likely to be the ones that don't tend to report back non-completion. I wouldn't go so far as to call it useless, but you can't rely on it.

He was once given a short after-school detention for not doing homework that he claimed he forgot (jury is out on that one). I asked why it hadn't been set on SIMS, they took that superior tone Teachers like to use and told me "it's the responsibility of students to ensure they complete all homework" I was very tempted to tell him to ignore it and they could call me if they wanted to, but decided it set a bad example.

Us over-privileged, rich ****ers giving our kids all the advantages! Money to throw around we have.
I think they should just do away with exams and simply hand out equal qualifications to all children. That way no one gets an unfair advantage due to their wealth, intelligence, genetics, drive or ambition. Only way to have a fair and just system for all.

Yeah ours has that too ha ha.

Ohh gawd - they do all sell it so well as a system too. TBF though, my wife works at the school our girls will most likely be going to (not teaching staff so no possible conflicts there) and she knows the system is very successful at the school (they are an 'iPad for Learning' school so devices are very much part of the school day and used extensively).

My partner is a maths teacher and doesn’t think kids should need tutors if the school is doing it’s job because she runs revision sessions over the holidays and several after-school session during the week and expects other in the department to do the same. However she excepts thatmany schools and departments don’t bother with any of these extra sessions or revision sessions.

Counterpoint: if the teacher is doing their job in lessons they shouldn't need to put on revision sessions during holidays and after school.

Please, if your kid gets a relatively good grade in GCSE maths after having a tutor, don't suggest that they do A-level.

'iPad for Learning’ school

*pukes*

Please, if your kid gets a relatively good grade in GCSE maths after having a tutor, don’t suggest that they do A-level

Why?
What's considered as a relatively good grade?

I firmly believe the majority of kids have the ability to achieve in any subject to a high level, if and only if they are taught correctly.

Please, if your kid gets a relatively good grade in GCSE maths after having a tutor, don’t suggest that they do A-level

Why?

Not everyone learns things the same way. I got A's and near perfect scores through gcse and a-level maths, then failed first year engineering mathematics*.

Not everyone does as well in each environment. There's undoubtedly kids who have thebopposite experience, that struggle in school because its school not because they lack aptitude for the subject.

*but got a rather pointless 1st overall, so it wasnt uni, just maths at uni i struggled to learn.

if the teacher is doing their job in lessons they shouldn’t need to put on revision sessions during holidays and after school

35 kids in a class, all of them pick up the subjects equally, all get the same attention from the teacher if/when needed during class time. Not in the real world.

There’s undoubtedly kids who have the opposite experience, that struggle in school because its school not because they lack aptitude for the subject.

*Waves*  5 C grade GSCE's only to my name but a successful career in consulting, management and now senior sales.   Who'd of thought it (not me TBH).

My son is a little behind in English and Maths standard due to an incompetent Year 5 teacher, later removed,  His whole class are on catchup but we've chosen to pay for tuition - 2hrs a week £150 a term.   I can afford to give him the best chance I can in life on that basis so I'm going to, end of.

And this:

35 kids in a class, all of them pick up the subjects equally, all get the same attention from the teacher if/when needed during class time. Not in the real world.

+1

*pukes*

Why? Genuinely interested in hearing why you feel that way.

I wouldn't have passed A level maths 32 years ago without tuition. It's been absolutely **** all use to me anyway - I still didn't get to the uni I wanted and dropped out in the first term 😄

Had I been guided towards doing the subjects I was better at and enjoyed more, I wouldn't have needed to waste my parents money.

Counterpoint: if the teacher is doing their job in lessons they shouldn’t need to put on revision sessions during holidays and after school.

stop talking bollox. most kids are not geniuses, most kids don't know how to study, most kids don't have parents that help them, most kids just don't know.

So glad you're not a teacher at my children's school @miketually (for the maths comment)

They use chromebooks for learning and whilst I don't agree with some aspects of the program, there is no denying the advantages it brings in various areas. Collaborative documents, instant access to revision material, tutorial programs etc etc. Also the issues alluded to above about online monitoring of homework, schedules works very well in the chromebook environment.

Downsides are an over reliance on the screen to solve all ills, badly prepared teachers/pupils can use it as a crutch and obviously having to fork out £400 per child on the first day of term!

Why aren’t parents tutoring their own kids?

how many parents know the E&O's for each topic within the subject, the key words that the examiners want and actually understand the content.

It’s called SIMS and it relies on Staff updating it, some do, some don’t, some of the ones that do, don’t do so consistently.

We have Show My Homework, its used to set all homework but it takes too long to be bothered with the markbook, I dont use it. If parents care that much they can check the kids book to see if its being done. If they miss 2 for me I give them a DT at lunch if they dont catch up its an after school which means home contact.

Waves* 5 C grade GSCE’s only to my name

I got 5 too, then redid english to get another C, then want onto get more A's at a level, a degree and a phd

Used to tutor maths to IB level.  It was hard as the trick wasn't to do homework but to work out why students were stuck and to help them use the things they already knew.  It's worth it if that's the path they are going down. Cash looked good but it was hard to keep up to speed

My wife reduced her hours teaching in a school so that she only works there two days a week and more than makes up the difference in wages with online tutoring.

Interestingly the vast majority of the people she tutors are home schooled rather than in-school students picking up additional help. It's far from just 'rich kids', with a number of those she tutors having ASD and in receipt of funding to assist their learning.

My wife also works as an exam moderator and keeps herself up-to-date with the content and marking schemes of both boards that do her subject (Psychology).

I got 5 too, then redid english to get another C, then want onto get more A’s at a level, a degree and a phd

Very admirable, but my point was I’m not studious.  I’m industrious.  Luckily my kids appear to not be following my traits.

Very admirable

Not really.

My point was just cause you find things hard at some doesnt mean you cant improve later, sort of in response to the idea that having a maths tutor at gcse meant you shouldnt then do a level.