private tuition??

[vanessakittypowell]

I have an 8 year old and a 14 year old. They are both struggling at school mainly with maths and english. Private tuition by ex-teachers is a bit of a price stretch for us, but there a a few students in my area who tutor and they would charge £15 for my 8 year old and £20 for my 14 year old. They have good refernces and seem lovely but are not qualified teachers. Im not sure what do you? any opinions would be fantastic as im not sure where to go.

You get what you pay for!

So do you think I should pay more?

You wouldn't get an unqualified electrician to come sort out a problem with your electrics?!

Don't pay the students more! I think what pretzelsmakemethirsty meant was that the teachers charge more because they know how to teach and hence charge that much more - its worth it.

I'm a teacher and do private tuition. I charge £25 for everyone up to and including Year 11 and then £30 for sixth form. You're not just paying for someone who knows the texts, but someone who knows the exams-maybe less of a concern for younger children though...personally, if DD ever needs a tutor, I'll get a teacher to do it.

teachers charge more because they know how to teach

Yes, teachers know how to teach. Hence why OP is looking to spend money she can't afford on a tutor for her schoolchildren ... x2

Neither DC is coming up to any important exams the near future. Why not give a student a go, on the understanding that if it is not working then you can cancel the arrangement.

My BIL got a university student to tutor his son for his GCSEs. He reckons the student managed to up his son's grade by one grade on most of his subjects.

Obviously if money wasn't an obstacle he would have gone for a qualified teacher but it was so he didn't.

So, what senua said.

You are mad IMO to have anyone other than a teacher with QTS. Children under the age of 16 need someone who knows how to teach reading and numeracy- not just read/ speak English themselves and add up!

Anyone who's any good would be charging at least £25 an hour- which is roughly what a young ish teacher gets in school if you work out their hourly rates.

I agree that sometimes older pupils 16-18 might be okay if taught by another student but teaching is a skill- it's not just about being competent in the subject.

ps I think any student charging £20 an hour has an utter cheek- that's terrible. Far too high.

What do their schools say about them?

I just can't get my head round the nerve of a school pupil/ undergrad asking for £20 when many qualfied teachers with 20+ years experience charge £25.
But then I can't get my head round them thinking they can teach, either.

I used a friend's son to help my DD with her A2s but by then he was an undergrad doing the same subject as her A level and we knew him. I think we gave him a tenner for about 1.5 hrs.

I can't get my head round paying somebody 7 quid an hour for an important job like helping your child with her GCSEs!

Presumably he did it as a favour?

It was her A2s - when she was 18. He was a friend and a student who was 2 years older. It wasn't on the basis of formal tutoring. But the point I am making is that sometimes a student of a similar age, who is more like a peer can help, but they should not expect much pay as they are not teachers.

If they are doing q good job then they deserve paying for it!

you don't need to be a qualified teacher to teach an 8 year old. The best person to teach your 8 year old is you - not a tutor, quaified or otherwise.

A 14 year old - yes, if you've forgotten your GSCE maths, then it might help to employ someone.But 8 year olds - maths is not complex at that age and there are huge number of resources on here and onmline generally to help.

A student with a rapport with your 14 year old can teach them as well as a professional, quite possibly better. And i say that as a teacher myself.

What matters isn't the qualification or the fee - they are only guides and not very accurate ones to the merits of the tutor.

The true test is how much they understand about and care about your child's needs and how much progress your child makes. Don't just leave them to it, as the 'professional' - instead, check what they are teaching/pan to teach, why and measure what progress, if any, is being made.

One of my DDs teaches a 12 yr old child of asylum seekers for free. She's not a mathematician and there are language barriers but she has all A*s at GCSE and has clearly established a rapport and is doing an excellent job.

Bravo to your dd!

I keep being asked to tutor people's children for the 11+ (incl random mnetters) but have to keep saying no as it goes entirely contrary to my principles re the purpose of grammar schools.

Your dd's example sounds like ethical tutoring - much better.

I'd want someone experienced, who knows the curriculum inside out. Someone who immediately knows what levels of attainment are aimed for at KS1,2, 3 etc and how to run through from basic to advanced work to get the child to that level.

Someone who has not necessarily whole class teaching experience but 1-2-1 tutoring experience and the flexibility to adapt their teaching style to get the most out of the child; who understands the importance of revision and consolidation.

Some students might be natural teachers and have these skills, but I wouldn't chance it, unless they come with rave references and a good track record. In the long run it may be cheaper to have a term of expensive but really helpful lessons from a tutor than a year's worth of cheaper sessions with an inexperienced student.

I would prefer someone who is at least qualified. I managed to find a retired teacher to help my 9y old and she only charges £15.

my friend used a tutor - v exoensive,retired teacher at top private school. She was pants.

Teaching 1-1 is very different to whole class teaching.

Qualifications don't guarantee quality, nor does price.

The only way to ensure good quality teaching is to do it yourself, or failing that, get someone personally recommended - not just from an agency - and then take responsibility for checking periodically that your dc is actually making progress. don't assume that spending the cash = magic.

I am a qualified teacher (Post Compulsory). None of my training or experience of classroom teaching has made any difference to how my dd learns at home. She learns completely different in fact the complete opposite to how a school or teacher would teach.
I agree that the best person to support learning is a parent.

I do use private tutors. It is because I just cannot totally handle the pressure myself. But I don't just leave it all the tutors. I keep close monitoring and checking DCs work with the tutors. I still support DCs as much as I can. Another thing that benefits me is that the tutors will give me 5/10 minutes feedback at the end of each session. So I know what exercise they did during the 1 to 1 and how I can help DCs further at home during the week. So to a degree we work together to support DCs.
The last tutor we had for my DC1 was not suitable for my DC1. I think that tutor didn?t expect me to do much with DC at home and didn?t give me much feedback in terms how my DC1 got on during 1 to 1. There wasn?t much progression after a few months so I stop the tuitions with her. Also my DC1 found the tutor very slow and boring. So even you prepare to pay reasonable fees doesn?t necessarily mean that you can get better tutors. What annoys me the most is the time wasted.
The mean benefit for my DCs is that now they are able to enjoy the subjects that once they found to hard.