An old friend becoming DC's teacher

[EthicalEni]

Hello,

I have a weird dilemma here.
I have an old friend (know her for 15+ years), and had just received a letter from the after-school club my children are attending with the introduction of a new instructor for their group for the next half term. And yes, it is her.

I was surprised that I had quite an adverse initial reaction to it. It is her first job ever (she's been a SAHM since graduating), and I had never heard about her having an interest or any involvement in this topic before, even as a hobby (it is quite niche / specialised, let's say chess, but at the primary school age appropriate level). The club is a bit on the expensive side (I pay close to £50 for two for a 40 mins session), and now I am asking myself whether I'd paid her that for a 1-to-2 private tutoring in the subject and the answer is a clear no. I am also a little bit uncertain about her being in a position of authority over me in some way (she does not approve of many of my life and especially parenting choices, we learned by now to leave these topics silent in our friendship, but not sure if a formal teacher-parent relationship is going to help).

AIBU to consider cancelling the club? Or am I greatly overestimating how qualified instructors for 7-8 years old usually are?

@Lucked
This is very unpleasant, but true, my first thoughts were not about my kids at all, but rather about my personal annoyance, which is kind of unhealthy, no matter how to look at this. There were a couple of posts, including yours, which helped me to get some perspective back.

Op I commented above, but I do think your responses are very measured and reasonable. I'm sure you will make the right decision. It's an expensive club!

I think your personal relationship is colouring your view, but I do get where you're coming from. For someone to teach coding and robotics, even at a basic level, I would expect more than a little proficiency and an interest and/or some relevant experience.

You mentioned that this is a franchise, I think? If so, then maybe she has done some basic training with them and is expected to pass this on to the kids. I wouldn't personally find this acceptable. I also have a software development background, and know there is a lot more to 'coding' than just doing a course! But a lot of franchises do work this way. Can you find out more about how their business model works? It might help to get some objective information.

I think listen to your gut and tactfully disengage from her teaching your children.

It's not a dynamic I would enjoy at all, based on the perception you have of the relationship.

Also that is a great deal of money, and no, I don't think someone without prior qualifications or experience should be paid that much.

Really? It’s an after school club. What sort of qualifications are you expecting, and how is that a position of authority over you?! Very strange reaction.

@Jaxhog Yes that's what I was saying though the OP hasn't acknowledged.

There are loads of tutoring businesses around many of which employ tutors with no training and few skills.

They give them a pack of lessons and they teach to the book.

There is coding and coding! What a 5-11 yr old learns will be very very basic compared to A level computing or a PhD in Data Science!

OP you could probably find online courses in coding that your DCs could use. Presumably they enjoy the sessions? Is it an interest of theirs or something you feel they ought to do?

If they have a genuine interest, fair enough, but if you are trying to fast track them into the IT world, I'd not say it's the best way.

You need to realise that most franchises employing tutors are not employing qualified teachers (partly because the % of the fee the tutor gets is peanuts and no QT would work for them)

@PunkHairToday
I apologise for not replying, I am diving in and out of this thread amongst all the chores (and a bit of work - coding ironically - as well). I did not anticipate such response rate. Thank you for your comments, I do appreciate.
I do not begrudge the cost of the classes, and not trying to fast-track them into a career. For me it is more about developing a systemic approach to problem-solving, and the actual technology they are using to do so is irrelevant - but a fun application, as robotics, definitely helps. I am not saying that one necessarily has to be a qualified teacher or an industry professional to be able to teach these skills, but - I don't know - if there's evidence that they were able to earn money from those skills otherwise than teaching, it definitely helps.

I think it's vital you re-set your expectations of these types of classes.

Very few people who have qualifications would be happy to teach in these franchises. I used to be approached all the time and they'd have paid me less than half my hourly fee.

How does what your DCs are learning sit alongside what schools do with IT and coding?

What extra are your DCs gaining?

My DC has a Masters and higher training in data science, and works as a data scientist in commerce.
Salaries for people with their qualfs are up to £1K a day or £200K a year at the top.

The point I'm making is that people who are really qualified are not going to be working in an after school club!

Sure there is a mid ground, but I feel that most people who are reasonably bright and with a degree in some academic subject would be able to teach primary age kids from the material they are given.

My children did a coding club for much much less money than that, I'd cancel on cost alone.

Take them out. Your ‘friend’ is a nut job with no knowledge of the subject. I’d end this so-called friendship too.

I've done put up with a teacher I have issues with for the sake of the children. It didn't end well. Eventually my misgivings were proved right and the DC ended up in the crossfire.