AIBU to think this tutor has an attitude?

IF the tutor really did start shouting, why on earth would you carry on sessions with him? Or was he simply talking loudly to drown out your protests that your son needs downtime, as though it's somehow the tutor's fault he's failing the subject?

I'm also staggered that despite being a parent clearly very invested in her son's education, you had no idea how he did in his mocks!

Head of History here. I teach KS3, GCSE and A Level. I'm also an examining marker. I don't tutor, I haven't got the time. Will try and be as neutral as possible.

Firstly, a uni student isn't really a tutor. They don't have any background in pedagogy (how people learn) and their subject knowledge will be juvenile compared to an actual graduate, with a Masters, a PGCE and several years of teaching experience. You get what you pay for.

Teachers advised against history but DS did it anyway. OK, that's a done deal. We are where we are. It's actually OK for a kid to want to take a subject because they have a genuine interest in it.

He wants to do it at A Level - you really need to listen to the teachers this time round. If DS doesn't have the academic ability to do it, then that can't really be changed.

The first thing I do in a revision session is work out which areas the kids are weakest in. The way I do this is by getting them to RAG rate their own knowledge. I don't know, they might be amber on causes of the Cold War, green on increasing tensions and red on detente. This tells me where my highest leverage points are. If they're red on everything, then we've got a big problem.

I'm unsure how you'd get the Cold War confused with something else. DS will be doing 4 different strands. He really does need to know the very simple key words that go with each, e.g. Cold War, Weimar, Empire, etc. These aren't really very confusing.

This is alarming: 'Subject knowledge is a key area of weakness, and DS apparently said to him that he doesn't make notes in the lessons because his teacher isn't good.' Firstly, making notes is the way a learner transfers information from their short term memory into their long term memory, i.e. the way they learn. Revision methods such as quizzes, flashcards and mind maps are designed to help students recall key facts from their long term memory. But if there aren't any facts in their long term memory because they didn't do the learning, then there's nothing for them to recall.

In terms of you paying for a service, depends, if you're paying for a revision tutor, sure, you're correct. However, from the sounds of what you've said, your DS seems to need an additional history teacher, so a revision tutor won't be able to help him.

Secondly, not sure about your DS's school, but our GSCE students are assessed every two weeks to check their understanding. What were his grades like for the whole of Y10?

Anyway, if I were you I'd sack off the revision tutor. It will be almost impossible for him to re-teach your DS an entire curriculum in a few months.

I'd also buy the revision guides from the exam board - they'll be published separately for each unit. They're not too overwhelming, i.e. quite small. This will also give your DS the flexibility he seems to need to complete his revision. But you'll have to do it with him. I should imagine the school also provide their own revision resources. You could ask your DS's teachers to give you the course spec. He might not do too well in his mocks, however, following the revision guides could bring him up to speed for his actual GCSEs

Have a really good hunt around for other resources, for example, on Netflix at the moment there's a good 'Turning Point' docu about the Cold War. BBC Bitesize / iPlayer also has some great stuff. You can set this as 'research' for your DS and then watch together. Get him to explain why this is relevant to his GCSE. This shouldn't be too much of a ball ache if your DS has a genuine interest in history.

Also check out 'Save my Exams' and Seneca (where there are quizzes). I don't know which course / units your DS is studying, but 'The History Teacher' on youtube might cover some of the content in her student friendly revision series.

I haven’t read the whole thread and some of your ideas are quite bizarre but:

A uni student isn’t a teacher. If you want a qualified tutor, hire someone who is a qualified teacher with experience.

Baseline testing is really important. It is called ‘assessment for learning’. If you don’t know where a pupil is, you can’t get him to where he needs to go.

You can’t have everything in life. If a pupil wants to go from a 2-3 to a 6+, he will have to commit. Maybe cricket needs to go for a few months.

Finally, realistically, a 6 will probably map to at best a C and more likely a D at A level. Of course, there are rare exceptions, but that is a pretty solid rule.

If you are doing a subject for the love of it, there is nothing wrong with a C, but you won’t get into many (any?) decent unis with it.

You need to have a deep think about all the above and discuss it with your son. Together, you can then figure out what you want.

Two choices really. Knuckle down and do the three hours pw, drop cricket for a few months. Give up on history and accept a 2 or 3. I've worked as a tutor, we aren't miracle workers. Also it sounds from your recent posts like you're the one who wants him to do A-level history? If he's struggling with it it probably isn't a good choice.

It's always really hard accepting the difficult truths, but your DS is having a shit time with GSCE History because he doesn't have the natural aptitude for it, and he's not putting in the work to try to compensate for this. As he's not putting in the work, he cannot be as interested in it as you/he thinks he is, and you're just throwing good money after bad.

Your DS being bad at history is not the end of the world. There are very few jobs and career paths that require excellent history skills - he has so many options still open to him! How is he getting on with his other subjects and extracurriculars? Are there other areas which you can encourage/nurture more?

Your DS's school teacher is apparently to blame for why he can't take notes in class and is failing. Your DS has burned through two bad tutors. He's onto his third bad tutor. That's four adults who specialise in history at a far more senior level than DS who have been unable to teach him properly.

At what point does it become obvious it's not the teacher and it's the child?

Money can help give certain advantages, but you cannot fix everything with money.

If you had a million pounds to spend on extra tuition for me (thanks!) then you'd still still never get me to do a simple cartwheel. Everyone has their own limits, and it can frustrating when those limits are below our own limits, and our own expectations.

DS is fine being bad at history. I'm fine not being able to do a cartwheel.

Your DS has been hugely disorganised, distracted, and failed at learning through standard techniques... so I thought I'd just ask if he had shown any indicators of neurodivergence? If he's only struggling with one specific subject, the symptoms here are almost certainly symptoms of Teen Boy. But if there any other issues elsewhere in his schooling or personal life, undiagnosed neurodivergence can explain why something simple is apparently unteachable.

I've tutored neuroatypical students before and transformed failing students into passing students simply by changing the study methods. The methods I've used with them have not been methods any other tutor has recommended, but they've worked.

But if your DS is doing fine in every other subject, it's unlikely that he is being let down by traditional learning methods that don't work for his brain. I know MN is very anti the existence of neurodiversity, but some people are neurodivergent and they are just as bright and capable as neuroatypical people, but need to have their learning reframed in a very slightly different way.

Incidentally... I'm not sure cricket three times a week is important if a boy is tanking a subject. Unless, of course, he has has a huge amount of energy that needs to be burnt off for him to cope... in which case, I refer to my neurodiversity question mark.

You haven't said enough for me to think it's a real possibility, but in grasping at straws for an explanation, it's the only one left I can see.

I hope you don't think I'm being overly harsh. You clearly love your DS and want the best for him - you wouldn't have persevered with three tutors otherwise, or ferry him around to extracurriculars - but I do think there is a mismatch between the life you want for your DS and the life that is right for him.

Trying to push a non-academic kid into academic success is not as supportive as you might think. Far kinder to help him find what's right for him and encourage that.

If he is actually good at cricket, he probably is pretty good at teamwork, and that's a far more useful life skill than being able to remember the dates of some random war.

Lots of actual tutors are that, it doesn't make them not an actual tutor. They're working above the level they're tutoring at. This particular tutor sounds very switched on and good at their job.

This as well.

Start looking with him at what local colleges offer in your area.

I’ve taught maths for 30 years and tutor occasionally. I know tutors can be hard to come by, so a university student, while they will be great at their subject, won’t necessarily have the skills need to help. Teaching is a skilled job and teaching weaker students is hard, with skills developed over time. The tutor won’t have any experience of being a lower ability student, or teaching or marking.
I’d also suggest your son considers other options for post-16. For students who are going to be weak A-level students, (coming in with 5s and 6s in GCSEs means you are likely to get Grade D and E’s at A-level). These students will be much more successful in BTECs and will score more highly and so able to go on to University if they want.

OP DS is in Y12 and doing history A level, he got an 8 at GCSE and the jump up is huge - he also got 8’s in English Lang & Lit and Classics, he’s humanities inclined.

It really doesn’t sound like your DS is well suited to take it forward to A level. The volume of essay writing, ability to construct arguments and remembering facts is enormous. If he’s finding it hard at GCSE he’ll find it ten times harder at A level, it really doesn’t sound like he is all that interested if he’s not taking notes and getting the Cold War muddled up with something else. I agree with PP’s that he sounds like he has some big knowledge gaps, and the priority should be fixing those at this stage rather than teach in him to revise. Revision is about cementing your knowledge, but it doesn’t sound like that knowledge is secure yet.

DS is also sporty, he runs 6 times a week and competes, but last year, his sport had to take a back seat over his studying. I really think you should discuss with your DS that cricket might need to be dropped whilst he gets through his exams.

This is what I'm starting to think too. The OP is having us on.

In English he's predicted a 6, and he's quite creative when it comes to writing. He's good at Science when he's interested and he's okay at Maths.
I just don't see why history has to be treated like some impossible subject when surely if someone knows how to revise efficiently then it's a level playing field.

It's not impossible it's just not clearly playing to his strengths.

https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
https://www.tassomai.com/home

May be worth a look if they have your DS history board.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize - for revison and subject content.

I'd make sure you have all the revision books for his board and if you can take up the extra tutoring time I'd clearly do that - if he works even now I think he'd up his grade considerably - but it's clearly more than a revision issue and if he doen't put the work in expect grades 2/3 - though some kids often boys can put in really last minute effort and do well History a subject that would be hard to do and he already not great with dates and seems easily confused with time periods.

I'd also look at other subjects is the effort needed here worth it - dropping subjects is not usually possible at GCSE but DC school did have a mechanism for doing so - if it's just this one subject dragging him down may be worth asking about. Otherwise one low subject will be less important - if he can be got up to a 4 great but it's clearly not his best subject.

Well with those results in his mocks he's not really GCSE material. His mother is doing him no favours. Have a local vocational college and apprenticeships lined up for him would be my advice.

2s and 3s in gcse mocks would suggest that A levels is not for your ds. And that's fine, not everyone is academic.

I wouldn't overthink the tutor being a uni student instead of a teacher. it just means he's more frank with you than a seasoned tutor who would have may be dressed it up with a lot more tact.

Genuinely, don't waste time on thinking of A level essay subjects, if he is at level 2 and 3 in Y11 mocks at GCSE level; and unless he's getting 6s and 7s in maths and science, these would be out too. In all honesty, if he isn't getting 7s in maths then A level maths and physics would be a completely soul destroying experience.

I know you said you were thinking of his future CV but Es and Us at A level will do him no favours.

So you're not a teacher or a TA who works in the classrooms.

I wouldn't expect a receptionist at a GP surgery to be a medical expert. I wouldn't expert a receptionist at an accountancy office to be able to audit my accounts or a receptionist at an engineering firm to understand why a piece of machinery is broken.

I think that working in a school might have given you a false belief that you know more about education, revision and how to get decent grades than you actually do.

One of your early updates, when you said "He actually does really well in other subjects which is why I find this whole situation frustrating. In English he's predicted a 6, and he's quite creative when it comes to writing. He's good at Science when he's interested and he's okay at Maths." showed that you don't really understand what the numbers mean. Those comments don't indicate a student who is doing really well.

You're obviously a loving, caring mum but are completely deluded about your ds's ability and attitude and you need to listen to the professionals and to everyone making the same points over and over again on this thread.

Hearing a lot about teaching is nothing like actually teaching a child. You might hear about what teachers have to do and understand how the education system works but you don’t have any experience in teaching.

To be honest this just sounds like you want your son to do history, he doesn’t really but is just going along with it to please you. I’d guess he either doesn’t like the subject and is sabotaging any attempts (hence being on the third tutor) or he’s just plain lazy (no notes in class and he didn’t even know what topic they were on!) and doesn’t really care about doing well. It may be that he’s genuinely struggling but as someone’s who has spent 10 year providing learning support interventions to students struggling, I’d guess it was one of the former options. Most students who are genuinely struggling but want to do well in a subject are trying to make notes, do their own revision, your son isn’t doing that. So either he’s already given up or he was never bothered in the first place.

You need to speak to your son, get his actual feeling on if he wants to even do ALevels. He does cricket so presumably likes sport, what about doing sports science or coaching? He could get some weekend experience in volunteering with kids coaching to see if it’s something he interest in. There’s no point forcing something on him that he has no interest it. And you need to see all of his mock grades.

And then you need a meeting with his history teacher and teachers of any other subjects you’re concerned about to find out what’s actually going on. And actually listen to them, they told you in the first place he shouldn’t take history. You seem like you just make excuse after excuse for him. The teachers rubbish, they tutor let him down, he woke up late, bless him for not even knowing the topic they’re on?! And you clearly just wanted everyone here to tell you that the tutor was wrong and it’s not your son’s fault.

How to write a PEA paragraph — SHSG English

I'd be getting him to take the quiz on this page and getting him an English tutor ASAP if he doesn't nail it.

He has zero chance of a good grade, even if he gets the content memorised, unless he can write a cogent and well formed PEA argument from given source evaluation.

I think the OP is far removed from reality in more ways than one..................

Also, agree with what the above poster has said about the mind maps. You use mind maps as a tool to help you sort the information you have in your head. It is a tool, yes, but it requires a foundation of knowledge which the tutor is telling you that your DS does not have. Please listen to the tutor.

If he isn't on for a reasonable number of 6s you should look at BTECs post GCSE. Success with BTECs will get you further than failure at A levels.

You hear "a lot" from teaching staff about the processes of teaching?

No, you really don't. I speak as a very experienced retired teacher and headteacher.

I mean, you're accusing him of criticising your parenting (a leap of the sort which I hope you stretched before making) and also not respecting his expertise as a tutor. He told you his unbiased observations, you disregarded them, and only now in updates now that you see actual mock results are thinking perhaps he might have a point.

The tutor is being realistic and you are doing nothing but defending your DS, who is not applying himself to his studies. Your DS does not need defending at this point; what's currently happening is directly the result of his lack of interest in his subjects.

The tutor is 100% correct, if your DS is getting a 2-3-4 currently in a subject, he should very much be looking at other subjects for A level. The leap from GCSE to A level is huge and you need something he is interested in and shows aptitude in really.

For example, my DS's lowest scores were in both of the English exams, and they were both 6's. We really dragged him up through those; his strengths are in maths etc and he smashed those, thankfully. But those two exams he had 6's in, he would definitely not be capable in at A level.

Did your DS obtain anything higher than 2/3 in mocks? Has the school had any meetings with you about this? Do you not think he should consider one of the other pathways, btechs or similar, which are a bit more practical? Do you think he can even pass English and Maths, the bare minimum he needs? If those mocks are indicative of his scores across the board, then you need to get focused on the fundamental subjects.

Your tutor sounds as if he is trying very hard to keep your expectations realistic. He can't physically cram knowledge into DS's head; DS needs to be doing his part and he doesn't sound as if he is. Your tutor is also not personally invested and is trying to speak to you directly. You really should be listening to what he's saying.

She said she completely agrees with me that revision techniques are important, and she gave me an example she did with her own class where she set her year 10's a task where they had to make a mind-map of key themes from An Inspector Calls and then use it to plan an essay. She said even her weaker students improved loads because they could visualise the connections between characters and themes. That's exactly what I've been trying to get this tutor to do! I don't see why it's so hard to integrate something like that into a history topic and then create an essay plan afterwards. I mentioned this in the call I had yesterday with the tutor, and he was fixating on how he is not confident of DS hitting his target grade of a 5 in his mocks in December!

In order to REVISE you need to KNOW what you've covered and UNDERSTAND them.

It sounds like DS has so many knowledge gaps that they need filling BEFORE revision can start.

And yes, I am an ex teacher, so I know.

I would never recommend a child start revising a topic they haven't learned anything about yet!

A mind map with key dates is not going to help him write a well formed essay on a topic IF HE DOESN'T HAVE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF IT, especially if he's not even good at essay questions.

Maybe consider getting an English tutor too, to help him with PEA paragrahs?

Apologies for the capitals but you don't seem to be getting it, OP!

You keep talking anout revision skills ..
You can't 'revise' something that you don't know.. the basic bones of knowledge must be there in the first place. That would apoear to be what your son is missing.
You are flogging a dead horse and several tutors here!

We can't all be good at everything, OP. It just doesn't sound like history is your son's subject.

(NB I have read all of your updates including your discussion with the tutor this afternoon, but haven't read all of the responses you've had, so this is based on what you've said about what's been happening and what the tutor has said to you.)

Also - how is it that you didn't know what his mock results were?