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Original poster

How common is it to have a tutor for a 6 year old?

26 replies

pepsi · 12/07/2006 10:28

A 6 year old girl at school, who is bright anyway, is having extra tuturoing out of school to improve her writing. I just wondered if lots of people do this. My ds is by no means top of the class and Im sure would benefit from such but my opinion is that 6 is too young to be pushing them that hard........does anyone else have a tutor this year. Like everyone I want my ds to do well and will do anything to help him, but am also concerned that he has a children and lots of fun.....life gets serious far to quickly anyway.

OP posts:
Bozza · 12/07/2006 10:30

What's the point if she is bright anyway? I think at this age school takes enough out of them without extra tuition.

Original poster
pepsi · 12/07/2006 10:31

So do you know anyone who does or is this unusual?

OP posts:
Original poster
pepsi · 12/07/2006 10:32

Her Mum said she has a high reading level, something like 9 or 10 which is brilliant, she is a lovely little girl and one of the younger ones in her year so she is doing really really well.

OP posts:
Bozza · 12/07/2006 10:36

So why not leave it at that and send her to swimming lessons or Rainbows or something instead of tutoring her. DS is only in reception (you must be talking year one) but no I don't know anyone who does this so would imagine it is unusual.

coppertop · 12/07/2006 10:40

I don't know anyone who has a tutor for their 6yr-old.

Ds1 is 6 and has extra help with his handwriting but that's only during classtime.

SSSandy · 12/07/2006 11:02

Russian families I know do a great deal outside of school. Generally the children attend extra schooling on Saturdays in the Russian language. Obviously they have a different alphabet to master, the handwriting is different but they also do maths and other subjects which are taught at school anyway. They start at about age 4, not to mention the music and chess lessons. A lot of them attend some kind of extra classes every day of the week.

I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing this writing tutoring, it would depend how gently it's done and whether the child feels pressurised.

Personally I wouldn't do it.

frogs · 12/07/2006 11:08

I suspect there's a lot of this about at the pushier end of the London private school system, where quite a few schools have a 7+ entrance exam. Having said that, a couple of parents of other children in ds's state primary Y2 class have muttered recently about getting tutors for their kids, but in both cases the children are struggling and need more help than they're getting in the classroom.

I can't see the point of paying a tutor £25 an hour to do writing with that age group -- ds's teacher said last summer that his writing needed a bit of work, so we bought a £3.95 workbook from Smiths and he did some extra practice over the summer to get him up to speed. It's not brain surgery.

bluejelly · 12/07/2006 11:12

Seems mad if you ask me

doobydoo · 12/07/2006 11:14

Barking!..but know people who do.Usually because they can't be bothered to put any effort in themselves.

Original poster
pepsi · 12/07/2006 11:23

With this family I think they do put in a lot of effort. The little girl in question already asks her Mum questions about who is clever enough to go to the grammar school and how she wants to be on the top table and go to university and, well, you get what I mean. Is this a parental influence do you think or are some children just very competitive at this age, or is it just a girl thing. My dd is not at school yet so perhaps this is what I have to look forward too. We are in a state school by the way.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 12/07/2006 11:24

hang on, is this to improve her handwriting or to improve her story-writing type skills?

If it's creative-extension kind of work ie writing stories and poems, making books etc and she enjoys it I can kind of see the point but wouldn't pay for it myself, just provide lots of notebooks, paper etc at home.
If it's handwriting skills, maybe they're just too pround (or too dumb) to buy a workbook like the rest of us...

Personally I think tutors at this age are only worth it if they child is really struggling and isn't getting the help they need at school and/or home (the fact they should be is another matter altogether).
My mum is a retired teacher who has and still does 'tutor' some struggling children this age - often it amounts to not much more than reading / looking at school-issued spellings with them as the parents were unable/unwilling to do it.

SSSandy · 12/07/2006 11:24

Think the girl picked up all that wording at home. She's just trying to please her dp I suspect. Left to herself, surely she'd want to play?

Original poster
pepsi · 12/07/2006 11:30

I dont know if you do this but when I hear about this things I think .....crazy.....but then after a few days my paranoia sets in and I think ....oh my goodness....EVERYONE....is doing this and my ds is going to be left behind.....I have to tell myself to stop. Thats the problem with all this playground chat, you her bits and pieces but never a full picture. My ds;s handwritting is not good and perhaps a few sessions would help but I would have to drag him there kicking and screaming i expect.

OP posts:
Bozza · 12/07/2006 11:30

Yes sounds to me like she's picked up on parental expectations. I have actually been wondering what I should do with DS over the summer in terms of reinforcing his learning. Or whether to just let him have a break. My only plan so far is to read the M&S First Readers with him. And make him write birthday cards. And I think that might be enough.

doobydoo · 12/07/2006 11:31

Ds became competitive when he went to a prep school when he was 5...he started talking about who came top etc...at 5!
Some kids enjoy maths and writing etc as much as playing..but i reckon buying a couple of handwriting books would be fine.Then again i expect they feel they are doing the best for their dd.If she is 'bright'they probably want her writing to improve so teachers etc can understand what she is putting down on paper.
I think a tutor is ott but i can sort of understand it now i have thought about it.
Also,i think kids can be naturally competitive with each other.[ie..me first,i'm the leader etc]but i also know that it is encouraged in some schools.
They can also be competitive with themselves[ifyswim]

phillip · 12/07/2006 11:43

I know a child who sat 3 tests for entrance exam for one of those pushy n london schools. shameful, if you ask me

MrsBadger · 12/07/2006 12:02

not sure it's actually shameful if the child isn't pushed - I sat a 7+ without realising it was an actual exam and had a fantastic day writing poems, doing puzzles etc. Got in but didn't go in the end.

but then I was a horribly precocious child and wouldn't wish it on anyone who wasn't.

Enid · 12/07/2006 12:03

I tutor my 6 year old - does that count ?

apronstrings · 12/07/2006 12:09

I think its a bit sad.. I've posted before about how pushy it is where I live...at 6 years old I think its crazy - more about the parents nedds and wants than the childrens

singersgirl · 12/07/2006 12:15

I have heard of families who've done it for 7+ entrance, but don't know any myself. I regularly toy with the idea of Kumon maths for DS1 in particular, and he is nearly 8. Haven't done it though, for all the reasons in this thread.

robinpud · 12/07/2006 12:39

Poor child...It doesn't sound like she needs the tuition to keep up.

< remembering that thread recently about having to bite your tongue>>

phillip · 12/07/2006 12:42

I do that too enid, I might buy twinset/tweed skirt and pearls to really get into the part...

ilovecaboose · 12/07/2006 13:03

My mum's a private tutor and most of the kids she teaches are at the bottom of the class and having problems with their schooling/teacher. She not only helps them in their school work but provides support and information to the families about where to go for help and what they can expect. They don't come from wealthy families or go to private schools. They go to her because they are failing in the state school system and their parents cannot send them to private schools. Most of them stop when they go to secondary school.

Some of the others are incrediably bright and go for extra tuition. But all of these children go because they want to . They enjoy her lessons. Its an hour a week not every night for an unreasonable amount of time.

She also teaches pupils through the hospital education system. Those who cannot go to school through illness.

Some parents do use tutors to push their children harder. Some just use them to make sure their children get a reasonable level of education and actually learn to read/write/do maths.

snorkle · 12/07/2006 18:06

Message withdrawn

Pinotmum · 12/07/2006 18:09

Lady up the road had had her dd tutored from 6 yo as she wants her to get in the only Grammer in the borough.