I myself have been a tutor since 2009. I work part-time, but I don't work. I believe that when tutoring becomes a business, the search for students becomes a pursuit of them, and the entrepreneurial educator simply gains more clients - whether they really need extra classes or not.
I passed the exam in Russian language, literature, English, physics and mathematics. And I prepared for all these subjects myself (the school held additional - free - classes in physics and English). All these subjects passed on 80+. That is why I am critical of tutors and tutoring.
In my opinion, tutoring has one huge minus: tutoring atrophies the student's ability to self-organize. When every week a person comes to a child who thinks out a program for him, homework, exercises in the lesson, then the student simply will not need to think about managing his time. Other people do it for him.
But what happens next? A schoolboy takes the Unified State Examination, enters a university, and there no one will "graze" him. Such a student does not know how to methodically prepare for exams, read on time necessary literature, do assignments. And it turns out that he approaches the first session with a lump of debts. Thus, the tutor does a disservice to his student.
If the child does not have serious difficulties in the subject, he is able to independently prepare for the exams. A person must learn to set goals and paint a strategy to achieve these goals. Otherwise, in life after school, he simply will not survive. The child should feel that it is he who is responsible for his academic performance, for the quality of learning. Tutors simply interrupt this sense of responsibility in the student. That is why I am annoyed by families where it is believed that once they hired a tutor, then they are now in demand for the results of the student; that the very fact of having a tutor is the key to success.
When I see that a student is able to study well without me, I have a conversation with my parents and explain that tutoring is unnecessary for them. But in most cases, they treat my words with distrust. With a tutor, they are calmer.
I especially dislike cases when parents hire a tutor for the purpose of "helping with homework, with mastering the program." But why, in fact, does a controlling person constantly hang over a child? Well, he doesn’t want to study literature, well, he doesn’t pull on the top five in Russian - and God bless him! I categorically do not understand parents who invite tutors to schoolchildren in grades 1-8. Why in intermediate link any kind of swearing at all? Let the child learn as he learns: not everyone has to be excellent students!
On the other hand, there are times when additional classes are really necessary. I had a girl with dyslexia, second grade ... I suffered, suffered, but in the end I convinced my parents that they needed not a Russian tutor, but a qualified speech therapist. Listen, thank God! Then there was another boy with Attention Deficit Disorder. Also handed it over to a specialist with psychological education. Because, in fact, he had no problems in the Russian language and literature. There were guys on homeschooling and external: yes, they need control.
The tutor will not interfere during the preparation for the Olympiads, for additional entrance examinations. But no more. After all, even here - if the student wants to deepen his knowledge of the subject - he is able to independently get to additional information. I'm not boasting, of course, but by the end of the 9th grade, I had already managed to master the entire school mathematics curriculum and got to analytical geometry and linear algebra. Herself, herself. It was just very interesting. But there was no tutor who would have prepared me for the Olympiads. Therefore, there were no outstanding results.
So - my conclusion - the tutor is good only for solving point problems, but for the rest, let the child learn to cope with difficulties, because in adult life no one will babysit him.
... have good and capable teachers in the house, the cost of them will never be too great ...
Marcus Aurelius
Few think that private tutoring is a very ancient practice. Surely, every student of philosophy knows that Socrates was the mentor of Plato, who, in turn, taught Aristotle, and Aristotle was the teacher young Alexander Macedonian. From a quote by the imperial philosopher Marcus Aurelius, it is clear that the Romans also valued private instruction, as did the Greeks. For centuries, tutoring has been the most effective way support the child's learning, involving not only an academic specialist, but also a mentor and a role model in one person.
Definitely, tutoring is as popular these days as it was two millennia ago. According to various sources, about a quarter of UK children are tutored at some stage of their education. Most children use the services of tutors in the run-up to important tests or entrance exams to schools and universities, as well as final exams for GCSE and A Levels. Despite such data, there is enough criticism of tutoring. Many parents will wonder why they should invest even more in individual training when they are already spending enough money on expensive private schools. The tutor's lessons are also called into question by the current workload of children, in addition to lessons, you also need to go in for sports, music, drama or other circles.
While tutoring can be a fantastic resource for many children, helping them not only academically, but also building their confidence, inspiring them to succeed, and reducing stress levels in a busy environment, it is not for all children. In some cases, it can be detrimental to the child's academic performance, especially if he simply does not have time just to relax and unwind.
Considering great amount how positive feedback, and criticism, it can be really difficult for parents to decide whether to bring in a specialist or make do with the existing curriculum and resources. To help such parents, we decided to analyze all the pros and cons and identified the main reasons for and against.
Arguments for"
First, let's look at 5 reasons why a tutor can be very helpful for a child:
To prevent or stop falling behind the school curriculum
One of the key arguments in favor of tutoring is that individual approach to a child at school is an almost impossible task. Therefore, if teaching methods do not match the speed of assimilation of the material of the child, if reading and writing skills develop too slowly, the school is unlikely to be able to help with such problems. In some cases, with a particularly complex program, even the most capable children. One gap in knowledge leads to another gap, and such a growing problem becomes like a snowball and can become catastrophic at some point, especially if it happens in primary school. The lag also leads to a whole galaxy psychological problems in the form of apathy, indifference, bad behavior and resentment. Additional problem lies in the fact that in Western schools, for example, with poor academic performance, a child falls into a group ("set") of children with the same low level academic performance and lack of interest in learning, which creates a kind of vicious circle.
Sometimes the only way out in this case is the attraction individual teacher. A competent specialist will be able to a short time highlight problematic moments in the learning process, help fill existing gaps and prevent new ones. Such a " Ambulance» may include both the standard repetition and explanation of past and present topics, as well as the selection of the correct literature for additional reading or the development of individual rules for repetition, memorization, etc.
How do you know if your child is falling behind the program? If your teacher has already reported several times that homework was not done satisfactorily or your child has started complaining about difficulties with topics in the classroom, it is worth taking a closer look at his needs - most likely, he needs additional support.
To provide professional assistance to the child in preparing for the entrance exams
Another main reason for attracting a tutor is preparation for entrance tests, exams and interviews in top schools and universities, the competition for which sometimes amounts to even dozens of candidates for one place. To get this coveted place, unfortunately, it is not enough to be just a “strong”, smart and successful student, an important share of success is the knowledge of the so-called “examination technique”. So, for example, when working with texts, you will need to conduct a competent analysis, draw parallels, and correctly structure your answer. All this in limited quantity time and in a stressful environment.
An experienced teacher has hundreds and even thousands of hours of training with such candidates behind him - he will arm your child with a set of techniques and methods that will help him save time and gain extra points by providing answers that meet the most demanding expectations of the selection committee.
In addition, such a specialist is well aware of the literature that will help in the preparation and can advise the right textbook or a book of exercises, will tell in detail about the registration process, requirements, deadlines and the secrets of the success of those of his students who entered your desired school, whom he prepared. He certainly has a network of contacts who can also help you in the admission process with their advice and advice. In such cases, the tutor-specialist in preparation for entrance exams will become an invaluable assistant not only to the children themselves, but also to their parents.
To provide your child with a personal tutor
We have already touched on this aspect before - a tutor is not just a teacher who dictates the rules or mechanically solves problems with your child, this is a person who knows firsthand about all the problems your child faces. good tutor graduated from a prestigious school and university - he himself went through a huge academic load, knows about time management, discipline and importance positive attitude. Classes are also a personal relationship, a friendly tutor who sincerely cares about your child's success, will always support him with advice or an encouraging story, tell him about his experience, teach him some trick or “gadget” that he can impress teachers and classmates with . In the face of such a teacher, the child will receive a living example, a role model and a “mentor” who will speak the same language with him.
Just to make life easier and save your nerves
It is a well-known fact that children argue with their parents, which, of course, cannot but be frustrating. Despite this, such disputes are fundamentally important for the development of the child, as it demonstrates their individuality and desire to be independent. Sometimes friction arises when a child is required, for example, to do something in addition to homework or read in addition to the main program.
In such cases, a tutor can help, which will save you from many unpleasant situations. Yes, the child may have objections before the teacher arrives, but rare child will just as violently protest in front of a stranger, which is a tutor. Simply put, the teacher neutralizes the pressure, and you, instead of persuading and screaming with textbooks in your hands, will be able to enjoy calm communication with your child. An important advantage is also the fact that having such an assistant, you will be sure that all homework will be done by the child on time and without unnecessary hassle and stress - this is important for any busy parent.
To take your child's academic interests to the next level and help you decide on a career
We have already discussed the role of the tutor above and noted that this role is not limited to teaching. In some situations, he may provide the child with information that he will not receive from school teacher because it is not limited by the framework school curriculum. If your child wants to truly learn their subject, a tutor is the right person to help guide the child in the right way. For example, your child is interested in physics and astronomy - why not hire an astrophysics teacher who does research in this topic? If your child is crazy about the works of Jane Austen, why not organize a meeting dedicated to the literature of the 19th century with a graduate of Cambridge English literature? If you see such interests in him, they must be encouraged and inspired, perhaps you are raising the next Nobel laureate Or a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Arguments against"
That's a pretty compelling list of reasons why, isn't it? However, there are also reasons against it - why can classes with a tutor not be the best idea?
Your child lacks basic habits and a regimen for effective learning
Anyone who has ever suffered from insomnia is familiar with the term sleep hygiene. Having good sleep hygiene means turning off the TV in a timely manner, maintaining the correct temperature in the bedroom, and using the bedroom for its intended purpose without making it uncomfortable. home Office, for example.
In addition to sleep hygiene, there is also educational hygiene, when parents carefully monitor the factors that may affect the child's performance at school. Regular meals and proper, quality sleep are essential for good health. academic achievement child; the child is simply not able to do well if he feels hungry, tired, or even exhausted. Daily routine is important homework preferably at the same time each day. If a child grows up in a bilingual environment, it is necessary to provide him with an optimal environment for the perception of both languages - to decide in which language to listen to the radio in the morning or watch TV shows, and also to set electronic gadgets to the desired language. No tutor can help if the children are not read and if they do not read at all themselves - in this case, the role of parents is to set aside a certain time for daily activities with the child and provide a basis for directly academic studies.
If you are thinking about tutoring, ask yourself - what can be done in order to correct the situation yourself? Perhaps if you organize a strict regime and routine at home with reading in the evenings and solving math problems in the morning, these problems will solve themselves without investing any additional money.
Your child is not getting enough rest and is not encouraged
Given the heavy workload and the desire of parents to arrange children in good schools and universities, they, of course, can be forgiven for feeling uneasy about the progress of their children. At the same time, it is very important not to overload children - you can surround a child with textbooks and teachers, but his tired brain simply does not perceive such volumes of information. Numerous studies show how important free time and games for the right mental development child, and sometimes The best way help the child - ask them to do a little less, and not vice versa. Bad behavior and low grades in school can be an indication of fatigue rather than a sign of lack of ability or unbearable temperament, so any parent considering tutoring should consider perhaps a bit of "real childhood" and more free time to play and have fun. Having rested, your child will be ready to conquer new heights.
It is also very important that parents encourage their children to Good work at school and any, even the smallest successes. With the help of such positive incentives, you only motivate them for further efforts and success. At the same time, blackmail and threats, especially in aggressive form may have the opposite effect.
Your child is still too young
Given the fact that 4+ exams have been introduced in some schools in London, many young families may be tempted to start preparing with tutors for entrance tests from an early age, even at the age of three. However, from a pedagogical point of view, trying to push a child too early for academic development is analogous to trying to make your car run with more speed by adding 10 extra wheels. It is important for children to play for the development of cognitive skills and motor skills, so they will not react to a large amount of information in such early age. Even as they approach learning more consciously at age 5-6, teaching should involve physical activity—instead of studying math with a pen and notebook, it's much more effective to build Lego or do some other physical puzzle.
In general, teaching young children should always be accompanied by play, and if you are going to hire a tutor for your four-year-old, they need to understand this (make sure they have experience with this particular age category). There is nothing wrong with finding a tutor, governess or nanny who will conduct such educational games, but parents still should not have big illusions that their child will definitely achieve high altitudes at such a young age. Their entire future school and university life will consist of ups and downs, so let the children play while it is possible.
Many parents make sure that their child receives high-quality and versatile knowledge. This will help him enter a higher educational institution in the chosen specialty. The school is not always able to give the student knowledge in the required volume - the requirements are often higher. Therefore, the question of a tutor arises. This is costly, but the right choice a specialist significantly increases the chances of the child to study in the future exactly where he would like. How to choose a tutor, classes with which will really bring results? And is it needed only before entering the university?
Does your child need a tutor?
Many families consider hiring a tutor when their child is in high school. After all, you will not have time to look back, as a schoolboy will turn into an applicant. But there are situations when a child needs a tutor much earlier. How to understand if a child needs a tutor in your case? For example, if your child is in elementary school?
The help of a tutor is required for a child, as a rule, in three main cases:
- the child does not cope well with one or another school subject;
- the child is better developed in some areas than his peers; he has a talent for some specific disciplines, and the information that he receives as part of the school curriculum is already not enough for him;
- a student in a couple of years will enter the university.
Poor performance in a particular subject may be due to either interest in the subject (which often also depends on the teacher), as well as a lack of understanding of the information received. In this case, it makes sense to seek help from a tutor. After all, if the child does not understand the subject already on initial stages, then he will continue to have problems with him.
Does your child have an interest in a particular discipline and strive to learn more than he is offered to learn at school? Such interest needs to be encouraged. For example, if a child demonstrates the ability to foreign languages, then an English tutor for a child will not hurt. Of course, a student can get the information he needs on his own, but the result will increase if he participates in the process. experienced teacher. First, given the ability of his ward, the tutor will be able to properly guide the student. Secondly, having considerable experience, he is able to tell the child a lot of interesting things about the possibilities of using abilities and knowledge in the future. In other words, it can help a child choose a profession.
In the two cases described above, you can hire a tutor when you feel the need for it. That is, do not wait until the child becomes a high school student. Because he needs help now.
And if you want to increase your child's chances of successfully entering a university, then take care of hiring a tutor in advance. Looking for it a couple of months before release is not best idea. The optimal time to start classes with a tutor is the ninth-tenth grade.
It is important that the child is not against classes with a tutor. Otherwise, it is unlikely that there will be a positive result, no matter how experienced the teacher may be.
How to find a tutor for a child
So, you came to the conclusion that a tutor for a child is necessary. How to choose it correctly and where to look?
It really doesn't matter where you find a specialist. It is believed that if you contact a specialized agency, then the tutor will be good, and if you choose him from an ad in a newspaper, then you will certainly be bad. Actually it is not. The teacher that the agency selects for you may not suit you in some way. And, on the contrary, sometimes real masters of their craft are found through ads. You can rely on the recommendations of friends, but this is not always a guarantee that you will be satisfied with the tutor you were advised. After all, everyone has different needs and expectations.
Also, the tutor must take into account individual characteristics his student. If a child makes mistakes, then his mentor must understand why this happens, what is the reason for the student's misunderstanding of the material, and solve these problems.
The activity of the teacher should be directed to a certain age group. After all, to schoolchildren different ages and the approach should be different. And it is unlikely that one person, even the most talented and experienced, is able to cover everything. age groups straightaway. Therefore, if a tutor for a child primary school ready to deal with a high school student - this is an occasion to think.
The same applies to the "versatility" of the teacher. Does he promise to “pull up” the child in several subjects at once, which are radically different from each other? For example, in mathematics, Russian language and history at the same time. It is unlikely that such a person has exceptional knowledge in each of these subjects. And "on top" you yourself can help your child.
And most importantly, your child should like the teacher. An experienced tutor, as a rule, is able to find an approach to almost any child.
Some parents, for reasons of economy, hire students as tutors. Does it make sense? On the one hand, a student is a recent entrant. Therefore, he knows what is required for admission to a particular university. On the other hand, he is unlikely to have rich experience in working with children and lack pedagogical skills. And, finally, a real experienced professional is able not only to give your child knowledge, but also to suggest how and where it is better to act, to advise on some courses, competitions, olympiads. Maybe your child dreams of studying abroad, but you do not have enough money for this? Many offer opportunities free education In addition, there are various funds that help gifted children. And an experienced specialist will always tell you how you need to act in order to provide your child with a quality education.
“To be or not to be…” The words from the famous monologue of Shakespeare's Hamlet often pop up in the memory of many, if not almost all parents with the onset of a new school year. Indeed, when, after a long vacation, family members see in the diary of their child, who has rested and cheered up over the summer, not at all the grades that they expected, they begin to think about whether to invite a tutor. So does a child need a tutor?
Of course, tutoring is common. modern life. But it has both positive and extremely negative sides.
In a positive sense, tutoring can be considered in certain cases. For example, when you need to “close the scissors in the program”, that is, help the child quickly and in a concise form master the missed educational material. Typically, such situations arise when moving from one city to another, when changing educational institution or after prolonged illness during which the child could not fully learn. AT similar cases it is quite appropriate to resort to the help of a tutor. However, it should be remembered that the tutor in this case is invited to certain time(say, for one month or one quarter) and for the solution it is quite specific task: to catch up, to clarify several topics on a particular subject. In the future, when the task is completed, it is better to part with the tutor. This is important to do if we do not want to develop a certain addiction in the child.
The fact is that the "pitfalls", that is, negative points, tutoring has a lot. And if they are not always noticeable to parents, then they are always obvious to teachers constantly working with the child. It happens that they begin to resort to the services of a tutor almost from the elementary grades. As a rule, at first it happens one item, for example, English language. Several classes pass - grades in English are getting better, but then mathematics begins to "sink" - a math tutor appears. Further - the same thing happens with Russian, in subsequent classes - with physics, chemistry, and so on. The child "acquires" tutors like a snowball. But there are no expected results.
Why is this happening? First of all, because regular classes with a tutor paralyze the child’s independence, develop irresponsibility and consumer attitude to life. In fact, why work in a lesson, listen, try to understand, write down, ask if Marivanna comes after the lesson and “chews” the material he studied. Yes, exactly the educational material that he “passed” at school. After all, having a tutor, you can relax, have fun with the phone, chat with a neighbor on the desk. And if you played the fool in one lesson, say, in English, then it is difficult to concentrate on the next one, say, in mathematics. The resulting deuces are no longer scary. Their homes are easy to explain. worth saying magic words: “I didn’t understand” - and conscientious parents rush in search of the next tutor. A month passes, another, a third - and the schedule academic work for such a student, it gradually shifts to the second half of the day - to visit tutors. Naturally, the time school lessons now with full moral right - it is spent at its own discretion. And fair parental anger you can not be afraid: the child gets tired, because after school there are also tutors.
In addition, there is another - and, it seems, a more serious danger. With the advent of a tutor (or tutors), many children develop a real psychological dependence. Having got used to the fact that a human assistant is constantly sitting next to them, they become absolutely helpless when they are left alone with the task on the control. The child is confused, cannot understand the meaning of the task, worries, cannot cope with an elementary example. And we see this all the time - not only in lower grades, but also in the middle, and even in the senior level. Before us appears a kind of infantile, afraid of any questions and checks, and not only tasks advanced level difficulty or Olympic level, but the so-called basic ones. In addition, he is unsure of himself, suspicious, looking for some kind of catch in any issue. Moreover, he is not accustomed to take responsibility either for his grades, or for his knowledge, or for his future. In him - often even by the senior classes - the consciousness remains unformed that the difficulties in obtaining knowledge (or at least grades) are his problem, and not his parents, not teachers, and not the headmaster.
There is another danger in tutoring. The tutor may be simply incompetent, whether online courses for schoolchildren or home educator. Knowing the subject very well, he may not be able to master the special technologies for preparing, say, for the Unified State Examination or the Unified State Examination. And in this case there are a lot of small, but unpleasant surprises, such as non-standard wording of questions and not quite correct tasks. Or the tutor may not be entirely decent person. After all, he, ultimately, is not interested in the result: the longer the difficulties in teaching the child last, the longer there is a need for his services.
What is the conclusion? He is obvious. If you invited a tutor to your child, this does not mean at all that you can calm down: now everything will be fine. Will not. The situation with studying at school (and it happens that even further) must be kept under control constantly. And personally. By at least until the student has conscious attitude to the learning process until he has developed responsibility for his own learning outcomes. And the sooner this happens, the better it will be for everyone: for parents, for teachers, and most importantly - for the child himself.
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What do you need to know before hiring a tutor?
How to understand if a child needs a tutor in 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grade? Most of the parents objective reasons unable to delve deeply into the peculiarities of the child's education. Grades serve as an indicator of success. But what are grades? If they have changed, this does not mean at all that the child has become smarter or dumber, his abilities or capabilities have changed. The reasons for the changes are different - conflicts, boredom in the classroom, loss of interest in learning, misunderstanding of the material. The tutor has to create such conditions for learning that would solve this problem of the child.Does a child need a tutor in the fifth grade: pros and cons
The advantages of additional classes are obvious: increasing the level of knowledge and, as a result, improving current school grades. And what are the cons? They also exist. If parents do not understand true reasons decline in performance, individual sessions can form the wrong approach to learning in a child. He will begin to believe that he does not have to be attentive in the classroom, because adults will solve all problems.So is it worth hiring a 5th grade tutor? No, if the child is simply lazy, does not want to study at all, he has poor marks in several subjects. Yes, if the reason for the failure is:
absenteeism due to illness;
poor-quality presentation of the material by one particular teacher;
it is really difficult for a child to understand the subject due to the peculiarities of thinking.
Does my child need a tutor in sixth grade?
Usually, by the sixth or seventh grade, the student is adapted to the class-lesson system, used to a large number lessons and decide on your preferences. Parents can already judge the quality of teaching in each subject. This is the period when you can get a more objective picture school life child. It is already easier to figure out if a child needs a tutor in the sixth and seventh grades.If it is obvious that the child is doing well in general, but has lagged behind in one or two subjects, a tutor can be of invaluable help. It is also worth thinking about extra classes for a child showing increased interest in any subject. This will develop his natural inclinations, strengthen his self-confidence.
Does my child need a tutor in eighth grade?
Eighth grader getting ready for school high school, soon he is waiting for serious knowledge tests. If there are doubts whether it is worth hiring a tutor in the 8th grade, then it makes sense to think about whether the student will cope with future exams. Another nuance: thanks to private teachers in basic subjects, you can reduce the burden on a student in high school, when you have to prepare for the exam and enter a university.The sooner the preparation for the final exams begins, the more solid the base will be for the student. It is especially important to help gifted children develop their abilities. Perhaps this will play a decisive role in choosing a future specialty.
