to consider a tutor for dc who is working at a year below ?

[SeptemberFlowers]

DH and I had a meeting with dd's teacher today and we expressed concern that she was working below her year level.

The teacher agreed and said pretty much in all areas that dd was working at the year below. DD is working in the lowest set for all areas and she is aware of it. She is an avid reader though and enjoys reading stories every night.

We have suggested a tutor however her teacher felt this was perhaps not the best idea and just to keep with current concepts over the summer and said he would be happy to provide some extra resources and pointers.

I understand where he is coming from however we both feel that DD would benefit from a tutor over the summer months to help her prepare for the next year. As I'm conscious that the more she moves up at school the bigger the gap will get. The school have put steps in place for her so she doesn't fall behind further and the gap doesn't widen but I'm just thinking surely we can help her get that bit of extra help to help bring her up to be working at an average level ?

She is quite an anxious child and is getting a bit upset at the thought of being so behind and 'different' to her peers.

[LittleReindeerwithcloggson]

My DD was behind at end of year 2 but will finish year 3 where she should be partly through work we did with her ourselves. I would advise the following over the summer:

Sign her up to libraries reading challenge (they get sticker and medal) which makes reading fun.

Install Hit The Button app - great fun for learning times tables and kids love trying to beat their own score

Get her to make a summer holiday scrapbook about places she's been with some writing in. Kids love sticking (and she won't realise she's improving handwriting, learning punctuation etc)

Get her a watch to help with time and also have fun doing silly things like how many peas can everyone pick up with a straw in a minute etc. Draw tables/bar charts with results.
Helps Maths and time telling immensely!

My personal opinion is that a tutor is best saved until much later on

[Newtothis2017]

I am in Ireland and my dd1 started junior infants last September. By Christmas she wasn't keeping up with the other girls in her class for reading and sounds. I got a tutor to come twice a week from January. Best decision ever. She has caught up and on a par with her classmates. She is thriving in school now and her teacher is delighted with her progress and the support we have given her at home by doing this. Her teacher is excellent but with 20 kids in a class there was only so much time she could give. I would say if you can afford it do it!

[Kariana]

I thought she was going to be 12 not 6! Absolutely not to a summer tutor at that age. The teacher is right (I'ma former teacher of KS1 as well) An August born girl of that age is more likely to catch up over the next couple of years anyway, particularly if she is a good, enthusiastic reader. It's way to early in her schooling to worry. Let her enjoy her summer, recharge her batteries (they need this at her age so much!) and start refreshed in September having spent the summer enjoying her childhood which she will never get back! If she's still a long way behind going into year 6 that's when you should consider tutoring.

[RubbleBubble00]

Mine love iPad apps and have brought do maths on so much. I would schedule half an hour every day iPad time, sit together and do puzzles.

dc1 did a phonics app and maths app through reception and yr1 every night and it put him ahead in his class after a slow start.

[areyoubeingserviced]

Go back to basics OP.
Learn times tables , basic addition and subtraction.
The fact that she is an avid reader is great.
If you think that she would benefit from tuition and you can afford it then go ahead.
However, the tuition should be informal and fun.

[Keithyoustink]

Hi. I've just seen she's only 6 - so take back my earlier advice as she is too young really. I would stick to lots of reading and talking about books, board games, may be some fun educational apps - something like puppet pals where she could write and narrate her own script. Lots of activities like cooking so she's learning about quantity in a practical way. Letting her buy and pay for sweets or magazines with coins so she has to find the right money. Buy her a watch and help her learn how to tell the time.

[WreckingBallsInsideMyHead]

For a six year old I would just keep nurturing her love of reading, practice practical maths (eg while shopping) and practical science concepts like solids and liquids (eg cooking) and maybe weekly go through the work the teacher suggested.

[mumeeee]

At 6 she is still young and as an August born child she will be the youngest in her year so much younger than some of her peers. She doesn't need a tutor

[LIZS]

6! Remember she is almost a year younger than the eldest in her year group, so is probably pretty much in line with her peers. There is often an overlap of ability in primary years. Lots of games and reinforcement over the summer. Most children regress over the break so you just need to ensure she doesn't and is keen to learn come September. Accept the reassurance of the teacher who has a broader experience at this stage.

[Alibobbob]

I think your teachers concern is that your daughter will be taught methods different to those the school use. I would say go for it but take her school books with you - they usually give them at the end of the year.

I felt my daughter was falling behind so paid for one to one tuition. We found out later that she has dyslexia - I am not suggesting your daughter has a learning disability just my experience.

Do what is best for your daughter she will probably have a different teacher next year anyway.

[TooGood2BeFalse]

Bless her heart! Only 6! Remind her if she was in another country (Finland?7 yrs?) she wouldn't even be in school yet. By all means get her a tutor, mainly for her confidence.I doubt a 6 year can be THAT far behind surely (waits for teacher to correct me )

[slgsue1979]

My ds was behind when he was in year 2 but the school gave extra help for those behind and he quickly progressed. Now he is in year 8 and very confident in his ability and exceptionally bright so for him extra help in a small group worked fantastically but if he or any of my children were struggling I would look at private tuition although how much would depend on their age.
At 6 I would probably take a trip to the local book shop and get some of the work books and get them to spend a little time each week working through them though not forcing them to. And be as encouraging as you can, praise praise praise even if it is just praising the effort it goes a long way.
Perhaps the learning environment and/or the teacher is the problem there are many reasons that when changed in the new school year may see results

[AppleSetsSail]

I don't think it's terribly unusually for an August born year 2 child to be slightly behind.

You say she's an avid reader, so how far behind could she really be in English? Is this maths?

[redskytonight]

At 6 (so 7 in August?) I wouldn't be thinking about a tutor. I'd be focusing on "learning through play" over the summer. You can get a lot of maths into things like cooking and boardgames. Think about writing a summer diary or postcards to grandparents. Enter the library summer book challenge. Have some days out to interesting places (not necessarily ones that cost lots of money!). I'd say keeping her interested in learning is the main thing. I'd worry if you tutor over the summer you may put her off learning altogether.

[AppleSetsSail]

Hm. On the cusp, I'd say.

Which subjects would you tutor her in?

[JustHappy3]

Tutorinv worked for us because it gave me ideas/wording to use when we did homework together. But more than anything as a confidence thing - we had a very positive "you can do this" tutor and i think having the time to work through blank spots has been great.
That said some things do click for some kids later than others - but it's not a chance i'm prepared to take with my kid.

[LiveLifeWithPassion]

Sorry posted too soon - when ds1 dropped a maths group and felt down about it, I got him a tutor for some 1 to 1 and it made a huge difference to his confidence and ability.

[SeptemberFlowers]

Thanks for the answers so far.

She's 6 (August born), about to enter Yr3 from September.

[LiveLifeWithPassion]

I wouldn't hesitate.
Part of success at school is a love of learning. That can come through confidence and not feeling like everything's a struggle.
I've always done extra work with my kids through the summer holidays.
Not too much but half an hr to an hour 4-5 times a week. Usually through work books and some online resources like education city and carol vordermans maths summer school and the library reading challenge.
We listen to timestables songs on YouTube most mornings and do lots of practical stuff too.
It's not because I want them to be top of the class or anything but because I want them to be happy at school.

[AppleSetsSail]

We need to know what year she's in to advise.

I have an able 10 year old, but we arranged for him to have some English tutoring in the run up to to his 11+ mocks. His writing improved appreciably.

I am a big believer in 1:1 learning. Unfortunately it doesn't always work terribly well with a parent and child.

[grannytomine]

My GS has had a tutor for about 4 months. He has progressed more than in the last 12 months even though we were helping at home. I commented that he did alot of work with tutor and he said it was because she is such a good teacher and he gets more done in an hour that he does in a day at school.

I've never used a tutor and always felt I could do enough to help mine at home but I have to admit the change has been dramatic.

[LittleReindeerwithcloggson]

What year is she in?

[eyebrowsonfleek]

Did the teacher explain why a tutor was inappropriate?

It could be because it's hard to find a good one rather than its not possible for your dd to catch up.

Or it could be that it's a question of sitting down with her and practicing tables or whatever so she's confident.

I have a son who's definitely not going to be meeting the new expectations for his year in literacy. His maths and reading are fine but his writing is behind so I plan to get him to write regularly during the holidays so he goes back to school ready to go.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I understand where he is coming from I don't. What's the logic?

[LIZS]

How old is she? It sounds OTT to be overly concerned for primary age, especially if school are offering intervention and advice.