Y6 remedial tuition offered - can I say no?

[ShaynePunim]

Sorry if this is a bit long.

My youngest DS is in Y6 and has been offered after-school 1 to 1 tuition for one term in order to improve his writing.

His teachers (including this year's teacher) have always commented that he was very intelligent and knowlegeable in various subjects that interest him, and in mental maths. However they always said that he is extremely slow when completing written work.

Recently he had to do some creative writing as homework. It was very hard to MAKE him do it and it took ages, and I noticed he spent a lot of time thinking and discussing his story with me, asking what Ithought of the plot or the characters etc. The actual writing though was very painful.

When it was finished, I congratulated him for his good work as I thought it was actually very good, the story was amusing and interesting, he used a wide range of vocabulary, his spelling, grammar and punctuation were excellent.

But his teacher commented that the piece was much too short and that everyone else had produced a longer piece.

Anyway. She has told me that the school has been given some funding for remedial tuition and she wants my DS to benefit from it one hour a week after school for a term.

She has shown me the learning goals of the proposed tuition, and all the objectives are stuff that DS can do perfectly (using correct punctuation, think of one's audience etc.) His only problem is the pace of his work, which no tuition will help with.

I'm just worried the school or the teacher will think we don't support our DS's learning if I refuse the offer.

What do you think, either from a parent's or a teacher's perspective?

Thanks!

[weblette]

How do you know that no amount of tuition will help? They may have different strategies that will help him speed up. He won't have that level of support at senior school, helping him now would seem a great idea.

Personally if I were offered something like this for one of my dcs I'd snap it up.

Why exactly don't you want to take it up?

[Fobwatch]

"no tuition will help"???
What if the tuition involves quickly coming up with ideas and committing them as short stories to paper? Then gradually moving on to longer stories? What if it's about thinking of lits of ideas, then deciding which one will make the best story and concentrating on that one thread? What if there are tips for opening paragraph / closing paragraph which can be applied to almost every story?

I think you are bipeing a bit defeatist and a bit narrow-minded.

You have a teacher offering tailored, one-to-one tuition to your son, who by your own account is lacking in this area.

Seize the opportunity with both hands.

[mummytime]

Why would you refuse the offer? For my eldest two have been very very fortunate to get 10 sessions of 1 to 1 help with Maths, and it helped massively, and really boosted their confidence. 1 hour 1 to 1 can offer so much more than 1 hour in a class situation.

Also if as you expect it really doesn't help then you can really ask for either an amanuensis or a laptop, as everything has been tried.

[MyBoysHaveDogsNames]

One-to-one tuition? I'd bite their hand off! A great opportunity for your DS to have some focused attention on his writing. Even though he is capable of achieving the learning objectives, all practice is valuable. As he grows in confidence, his writing may grow in length.

I wouldn't be put off by the term 'remedial'. Think of it positively as approx. 12 hours of private tuition. My DS1 had some intervention work on his writing in Y1 and it really made a difference. He, too, is good at mental maths, has a good vocabulary and is doing well in class - he just didn't like putting the effort into writing. This is the ideal time to work on it prior to secondary school.

A parent's and recently qualified teacher's perspective!

[mollymole]

Take it, you will never know if you don't try. Let your son, together with his teacher decide if it is beneficial.

[RaisinBoys]

I'd take it!

I guess it is the word "remedial" that you balk at. Remove that from the discussion - the school and you recognise that your son is bright. His writing sounds great quality.

He knows all the other stuff (grammar, intention, spelling, expression, characterisation etc) so he can spend the hour working on his speed.

[Doodlekitty]

My god, schools really can't win can they? I don't understand why anyone would turn this down. I used to deliver 1 to 1 tuition in English and Maths. It was 10 sessions after school and was aimed at the middle ability children in the hope of giving them that little push to the next level.

If he improves punctuation etc surely this will improve the speed of his work? The biggest boost I saw as a teacher was to the child's confidence. Every child I tutored went up at least one level in 10 weeks, largely through increased confidence or learning 'tricks' to use (like including at least 1 ly word in every sentence). One child went from a level 3 to a 5 (to be fair this was in Maths). Why would you turn that down?

[Pancakeflipper]

I would try it.

[CecilyP]

I can see where you are coming from, OP, if you have been shown the learning goals of the proposed tuition, and they are all things that your DS can do already. Before commiting to or refusing the tutition, would it be possible to discuss with the teacher how it might help him improve the pace of his work because, while you may be sceptical, there may be some strategies that they can work on.

[ShaynePunim]

My reasons for not wanting to take the chance are that:

-He hates school lessons with a passion. He loves the social side of school and he loves independent learning but he hates the classroom situation.

-The tuition would be given by his class teacher, who has taught my other children before and while she is perfectly nice and competent, doesn't really think outside the box. The sheet she showed me was just bullet points of stuff he can already do. I fear that instead of helping my son he'll just see it as yet another hour of boring stuff when he should be running around in the fresh air. :D

-He always had this speed issue but when I was in Y4 his teacher had a deal with him where he was rewarded if he sped up, and it worked. So I know he can do it. He's just bored out his mind and 'not bothered'.

-As I feel he doesn't really need it and definitely doesn't WANT to do it, I'm wondering if taking it up might deprive another kid of it as I assume the funding is limited.

[Doodlekitty]

You can say no to it, I had parents who did. I still don't get it, but it's your choice (and his). Just let the school know so they can fill the place, as you say.

[ShaynePunim]

Thanks all for the very useful replies though, it's true that it might be beneficial in ways that I can't see myself at the moment.

It's true that it's the 'remedial' word I don't like, it's funny that you all saw that when I hadn't really thought about it! :)

[ShaynePunim]

Good point tiggytape, thank you.

I'm glad I posted this thread, I do things a bit differently now.

[ShaynePunim]

(I do SEE things a bit differently!)

[forevergreek]

I Definatley would. Next year he will be in secondary where whether he likes to or not they are expected to keep up with the pace and get on with things often alone

[Tiggles]

If he needs motivation to produce work quickly it looks like he has just been given one. Show the teacher that you can consistently work quickly and efficiently and you won't have to have 1:1 tuition any longer.

[mumofthemonsters808]

If it was me I would take up any offer of additional support.My DD had additional help with her maths and god what a difference it made, please try it you may be surprised.

[Hopeforever]

Glad you have changed your mind, get all the help you can
Agree you should ask about laptops. DS writes very slowly and has had a laptop since year 7 but had a social basic key board before that

[Hopeforever]

Social should read special

[thecheekofhim]

Can't see why you'd say no but school will be keen for you to say yes as this tuition is probably only being offered to those who they believe will achieve a higher grade at SATS as a result of it.

Maybe someone who works in a school can advise but cynic me reckons that this isn't a sudden pot of funding but rather the school finding a pc way of allocating resources to bump SAT scores

[ramblinrose]

I just want to stick up for you a bit here OP. (Although I do think you should accept the help for your son)

It sounds to me as though your DS has a real problem with the physical act of handwriting. My DS1 (17) has exactly this problem himself, and whilst he was at school, and bringing homework home etc, it was heartbreaking for me to see him struggling so much with his handwriting.

You mention the fact that he worked really hard to produce a piece of written work, and then was told it was too short. It brings back a lot of memories.

Other posters have commented on him not being motivated, or that he needs to speed up etc, but he finds the act of writing difficult (or even painful after a few minutes of writing) this is not very helpful.

OP, I think it's a good idea that you take up this 1 to 1. This way the tutor will have time to witness your son writing, and hopefully have a better idea what the problem is.

[cansu]

Schools have been given money for 1:1 tuition. There are certain conditions about who they offer it to but it is definitely separate money. Whilst I can see why you aren't keen and your ds might not want to spend the time after school, the tuition will boost his confidence if nothing else. Ten hours of 1:1 private tuition should certainly be considered. He might not be offered this again.

[cece]

Why on earth would anyone turn it down!?

[cakesaregood]

I'm lucky enough to have the privilege of being a 1-1 tutor.

What's fab about it, is that it is for the children who are achieving, but their teacher thinks they could just do a bit more with the right encouragement. It's a compliment. His teacher has probably picked up on his hatred of lessons, perhaps a tutor could tap in to why, and help your DS to understand why before that massive jump to secondary school.

In an ideal world, I would like to see it offered to every child, don't they all deserve undivided attention, regardless of their academic abilities?

I would go and have a chat, find out more and if you do accept, be as positive as you can with your DS about it.