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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

bogus tutors

30 replies

Iloveelbow · 13/02/2012 19:07

to be a bit miffed that someone, who has no teaching qualifications, has set herself up as an eleven plus tutor charging 30.00 per hour?

OP posts:
NearlyMrsCustardsHardHat · 13/02/2012 19:11

YANBU

If you need coaching through the 11+ you won't cope at a Grammar school. I object to 11+ tutors on principle.

viagrafalls · 13/02/2012 19:11

Well, I suppose how well educated she is and what exactly she is supposed to be teaching. £30 seems a lot of money but I always thought that 'tutor' meant a graduate not a teacher if you see what i mean so in essence although i agree with you, YABU. Grin

maybenow · 13/02/2012 19:14

hmm... i worked as a maths tutor for a bit after my maths degree even though i had no teaching qualification. i helped people on FE courses and all sorts as well as kids so knowing the school curriculum wasn't essential. i can do maths and i have good communication skills, sometimes it helps to have a tutor who is not a teacher but has a different approach.

maybenow · 13/02/2012 19:15

on reflection actually YABU - unless she's claiming to have teaching qualifications then what business is it of yours.. people have a choice as to whether to use her or not.

Ladymuck · 13/02/2012 19:16

"If you need coaching through the 11+ you won't cope at a Grammar school." And your evidence is? The vast majority of children who get into the local grammar schools are tutored (some by parents), and still the school manages to churn out fantastic grades, nor are there children leaving each year as they really can't cope. It is amazingly rare for a space to come up.

There are probably loads of kids who should not be tutored as there is no way they would make the grade, and loads of tutored kids do not get in. But the fact that a kid who has passed high enough to get a place has had some tutoring really doesn't mean that they won't cope at a grammar.

LadySybilDeChocolate · 13/02/2012 19:19

It's the parents job to make sure the tutor is qualified. If there's someone out there who is willing to pay for his then more the fool them.

troisgarcons · 13/02/2012 19:20

Shes a tutor not a teacher. Round this way, the grammar schools rent out their 6th formers, on site, for 11+ tutoring .... nice money spinner.

Original poster
Iloveelbow · 13/02/2012 19:20

she isnot a graduate, but is a class room assistant, but claiming to be doing teacher training, which she isn't. I do agree, it is not my business, but the misrepresentation angle seems unfair. People using these services can usually ill afford them and are desperate.

OP posts:
NearlyMrsCustardsHardHat · 13/02/2012 19:20

My evidence is first hand as an ex grammar school pupil. We had numerous anorexics (3 were hospitalised in my year group alone) we had one year group where drugs were a huge problem, we had another where the problem was alcohol. Ok yes you could argue that these issues would happen at any school. But one with a selective intake of 60 pupils where the sole aim was to get pupils into Oxbridge or onto highly competitive medical courses?

If you couldn't 'self study' you really floundered. They didn't teach you study skills where I was. I understand from friends who have siblings still there that this attitude is still very much the case.

I could be wrong. This could not be the case in any other school save my old one.

EdithWeston · 13/02/2012 19:22

YANBU if she is claiming to be a teacher (ie is misrepresenting herself an her qualifications).

But if she isn't, then YABU. It's up to potential clients to ascertain a tutor's experience and qualifications and then they can make an informed decision about what best meets their needs.

corlan · 13/02/2012 19:23

YABU - You don't need teaching qualifications to be a tutor. She could be an excellent tutor and well worth the money. I work in a school and have seen several qualified teachers who are not particularly good at teaching!

GColdtimer · 13/02/2012 19:26

Why are you miffed and why is she "bogus"? My dh is a private guitar tutor and has been successfully doing so for 10 years without a teaching qualification. Unless she I'd lying about her credentials then YABtotallyU

Original poster
Iloveelbow · 13/02/2012 19:26

corlan, I do agree with you in that she could end up being a fantastic tutor, however, she has no experience to show this, having used a tutor herself to actually get 1 ds and 1 dd into grammar school. It is only because said tutor is retiring that she has decided to scoop up some of the parents who have been left adrift.

OP posts:
cornykabana · 13/02/2012 19:29

I've done 'tutoring' as a qualified teacher. Tutoring is paid for by the parents as an extra to what the school does.
I also teach in school and then my role is as a teacher.
However there are teachers working in private schools who aren't qualified.
£30 a lesson for a classroom assistant is very cheeky, but she's only bogus if she's claiming to have qualifications that she does not possess.

troisgarcons · 13/02/2012 19:30

So you arent intending to use her? you are professionally annoyed that she's seen a loophole and decided to set her self up in business? And how do you know she hasn't been taught all the little tricks with the 11+ papers?

YAB V V U - because really it's got bugger all to do with you how she runs her business, provided she isnt misrepresenting her professional qualifications.

cornykabana · 13/02/2012 19:33

...also bear in mind that she'll be sending a good portion of that £30 to the tax man and NI, not to mention buying in resources. Tutoring is not a golden money pit at all.

VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2012 19:37

I don't think you need qt status to be able to tutor 11plus. You need to be able to answer 11plus questions and explain how to do so to a kid. I imagine many teachers would struggle to do this without some preparation, like wise many non teachers could do it straight away.

EmmaGoldman · 13/02/2012 20:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Iloveelbow · 13/02/2012 20:05

part of my point was that she is misrepresenting her qualifications and her experience.

OP posts:
Proudnscary · 13/02/2012 20:08

YABU

I tutored primary kids in my 20s, had no teaching experience, but was rather good.

TheParanoidAndroid · 13/02/2012 20:09

YABU. Anyone can be a tutor, its up to you to find a qualified one if thats what you want.

Busyoldfool · 13/02/2012 20:13

corny is right about the costs, (which people never seem to factor in); materials, travel, research, marketing, advertising, tax, invoices etc etc. The qualifications question is only an issue if she is falsely claiming that is qualified. Do the kids like her? Do the parents approve? Do her pupils get through the exam? If so she's done well - that's the job of a tutor.

cricketballs · 13/02/2012 20:18

"having used a tutor herself to actually get 1 ds and 1 dd into grammar school"

I'm a qualified teacher but I could not tutor my own dc - I'd end up wanting to string them up! I think about it like this - would you want your parents to teach you to drive......

LeQueen · 13/02/2012 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GoingForGoalWeight · 13/02/2012 22:40

My Mother shared the same viewpoint, Nearly, therefore my Sister was not privately tutred and failed the 11+ by one or two points. Our neighbours Son was tutored and got in. He left school and trained for a manual job and my Sister gained her law degree. I think my Mother regretted her decision. I would definately pay for my child to have extra tuition for the 11+.