Tutoring. Yes or no?

[SkinnyVanillaLatte]

Now we've come round to report time,it's got me thinking all about tutoring.

I'd like to know others opinions.

Do children who are tutored do significantly better? At what age should they start? How expensive is it? How many hours should they do a week? What subjects?

Or is it a waste of money and detrimental to a well rounded childhood?

I'm not sure what I think but I'm really interested to hear others views and experiences!

What would be your reason for tutoring? How old are your DCs?

Mine are 6 and 7.
I just wondered if loads of other kids are being tutored and I'm doing them a 'disservice' if I don't,and if they'd achieve an awful lot better if I did ( and whether that matters in the grand scheme of things....)

'better' by what measure?

This is kind of where I'm unsure Grimma!

They're doing perfectly ok all round really.

I suppose I want them to do as well as possible in their education to give them better choices in life,if I dissect the reasoning behind it. It's not something specific like doing better than Billy down the road,or even necessarily passing the 11 plus.

What years are they in and what NC levels are they working at?

Unless there is a specific reason (child obviously struggling with a subject, crap teacher, superselective 11+) then IMO better spend the time and money on doing real stuff with them. 6 and 7 - practical natural history (pond dipping, peering under stones); civil and mechanical engineering (k'nex and lego) etc etc.

In September they'll be 2 and 4.

Don't even know what NC levels are....Presumably National Curriculum - in which case I don't know.

2 and 4.

You're joking, right?

she already said they're 6 and 7 - the 2 and 4 are presumably years. Some strange people do start in yr 4

Sorry- years 2 and 4! Doh!

Well, your going into year 4 should have had a NC level on his report this week or last. Otherwise known as SATS.

Must confess I find this fascinating in a voyeuristic way. Around here getting a tutor in for a non-struggling child would be seen as bizarre & so so so pretentious. Are you in a grammar school area, Skinny? I could understand a culture of tutoring there (maybe).

In y4 DD was even teased for being tutored (she is NOT tutored, I believe firmly in letting them find their own way as much as possible).

If you're in a private school they may not report SATs level - but if kids in a private school need tutoring then there's something wrong with the school.

Grimma,that's how I've felt until now.Learn through curiosity.

Mmmm.Maybe it's as valuable to know the ins and outs of every bug and their anatomy,and be very creative as it is to be able to recite all the times tables off pat?

I'm not really interested in the whole grammar school/schools with good league tables thing.Just my kids unlocking their potential really.

Perhaps I should put more trust in general schooling to do this.

I suppose I somehow got the impression that everyone and their dog was tutoring their kids,but just not being very obvious about it,and I somehow just hadn't caught on to that!!

And if it is a private school and you're thinking of tutoring, then might I suggest that you should change schools- fast.

Oh, my dog certainly helps 'tutor' my DD .

No,not private,seeker.

I think so far I'm getting the feeling that at this stage if there is no real reason,the general consensus is that it's not really necessary.

Like I say,I have no real views on it,was just wondering.

So what NC level is your older one working at?

SkinnyVanillaLatte:

If this is for real - because it's kind of weird - then I'd say if you sincerely want to unlock your children's potential (?creativity) you should be thinking about enhancing activities.

If they like music - consider letting them join a choir, glee club or learn an instrument.

If they enjoy movement and dance - consider letting them take dance lessons (there's all sorts).

If they enjoy movemetn and acrobatics - consider letting them take gymnastics.

If you think it might help - and because children pick up languages more easily - consider having them join an after school language club.

If they're wild about science - have them watch documentaries with you when they're on (like Volcano Live recently, which was a huge hit with our DDs), go to museums, consider science camps over the summer, etc...

I don't think you should be tutoring a child who's doing well - but if you feel you should be doing more than consider supporting their creativity.

There's a nice little video from Ken Robinson about an American gymnast (Bart Connor) who you've probably never heard of - but the story is worth listening to:

I think what Robinson is getting out is Mum's supporting their children in opportunities, in their quirks and in what they enjoy.

HTH

I think tuition can be beneficial for children. What I've found from tutoring children at primary age, is that if they enjoy the tuition they normally feel more positive about it at school. This may lead to a change in NC levels. I don't tutor any children in Year 3 and under. I certainly feel that children in Year 2 and under should not be tutored. Play can be a lot more beneficial. Actually, what I've found is that children at all ages in primary could do with more play. Learning Maths can be so much more fun when it involves cooking with mum or dad, going shopping etc.... You might want to consider doing this (if you have the time) before getting a tutor.

In response to the private school comment - I don't agree that the private school might be doing something wrong. I tutor plenty of children at primary/secondary level that go to private schools. In my opinion, private schooling is not a magic wand. If children find maths difficult, they are likely to find it difficult at any school they go to. It might be due to a lack of interest, games, positive attitude etc.

It's for real Past,and I'm unsure why you see it as weird.I feel like I've been a little controversial and I'm not sure why!

I'm basically asking a general question and seeing what other people do/think.And it seems that the general thought is that unless a child is trying to get into a 'good' school or a grammar,or they are struggling,tutoring is unnecessary.

It seems plenty of people do have a tutor for their child for no real reason I can detect.I just wondered if these kids have a better outcome from their schooling because of one to one attention,or not.That's all.

As for unlocking potential,don't we all as parents want our kids to see their potential? Not necessarily academically even,but seeing where their potential lies and encouraging them in it.

No hidden agenda,just a straightforward question.

If your DC are struggling, or you think they would gain confidence by tutoring, go for it.

Personally, I wouldn't have tutoring to get into a particular school, although I know many do. I would worry that my DC would struggle once there.

But DD2 benefited hugely from tutoring. It really gave her strategies for learning, and confidence. She decided at the end of Y5 that she didn't need a tutor anymore. The tutor said this was great as she was taking responsibility for her own learning.

But if they are not struggling, add value as suggested by PastSellByDate above.

Hi SkinnyVanillaLattee.

I'll try to answer your original questions. I hope this is more helpful.

I tutor maths 20 hours per week.

Do I think children do significantly better? I think some do better but not necessarily significantly. If children enjoy the tuition then this spills over to school. It's tricky though - for a tutor to be good I feel they have to be more like a home educator where they get to know the child really well and become good friends with them (much like a parent with their child right?).

At what age? I answered that earlier. Year 3 - maybe. Year 4 onwards a safer bet.

How expensive? upwards of 20 per hour. I would say 35 and you are getting a much more serious tutor.

Is general tuition beneficial? Again, with the right tutor and approach I think it can be. I tutor several children with dyscalculia and I have seem some improvements (albeit quite slow sometimes). I continually question myself whether it's beneficial and I think it is on a broader level. How many children get to receive 1 hour of undivided attention from an adult (who is not their parent?

Is it a waste of money? Read my blog post www.adrianbeckett.co.uk/primary/11/should-i-get-a-tutor-for-the-11/

I hope that was less controversial.