Thoughts on tutoring? Some research

[sd9876]

Hi all,

Teacher here. Have read lots of posts about tutoring/costs/questions and queries. Have been thinking about setting up my own business in this area but would love to get some opinions on whether people actually want it. If you have children in Year 4 - Year 6, I'd love to hear from you.

1. Have you thought about tutoring for your child?
2. What would stop you from getting a tutor?
3. If you were to get a tutor, when would you like to have this take place?
4. How often do you have to help with homework?
5. Is 'getting stuck' with homework a regular thing?

Thank you in advance if I can return the favour, I'll gladly answer/help out with any questions you have to do with education! Xx

At that age I'd think it would be mainly for 11+ - the problem is that parents will want a track record of 11+ success but you can't get that until you start!

I have a y5 and a tutor would be useful for literacy (writing more than reading/comprehension).
A Sat morning slot would be better than after school because he's mentally fresher.

Hi we had a tutor for maths for Y3 DS, whilst he was hitting his targets we felt he had some large gaps in his knowledge. He saw his tutor for 45 mins after school and she really helped him to build his confidence, she identified where he had some problems and how to fill them. She designed the work completely around him and what motivated him best. I can see the change in his confidence and he tackles his homework better. Before he saw the tutor homework in maths was a bit of a battle, I couldn't explain it well enough for him to understand and it highlighted that he didn't understand the basics. Are you in a grammar school area?

My nephew is age 9 (not sure what school year). He has a tutor for maths as was struggling. Tutor was maths teacher from secondary school. He saw her 1 evening a week term time only. Something has just clicked and now he is coping fine no longer uses tutor. I don't know any other primary kids with tutors from state system.

I know curvyredmug, that's always going to be a difficulty. But if the tutor was an outstanding teacher & a specialist, with experience teaching Chn of this age, do you think that would help to start with?

Peteandmanu - sounds like you found a great tutor was it 45 minutes once a week? This can often be the problem and the reason lots of parents turn to tutors, by the looks of it. Switching kids (back) on to learning and building their confidence and deeper understanding.

Thanks stompylongnose. I teach year 5 currently and can imagine that would be the case for lots of them! We do exhaust them! Developing a business idea which would allow people to choose their slot/class, evenings or weekends, or both!

Thanks greenbackboogie. Glad it worked out for your nephew! There are lots of kids who would benefit from this. Think you're right though, not many in state sector. What do you think is stopping parents from getting that extra help?

Well, tutoring is rather different from teaching; it's a different skill set. Although you may be outstanding in a classroom, it does not mean you know what is required for 11+, which obviously isn't prepared for in 93% of classrooms.

What do you think is stopping parents from getting that extra help?
Tutors charging £40 plus per session, perhaps?

No, and I wouldn't consider it. Partly because if I thought tutoring was required I would do some research, buy the right materials and do it myself at primary age, probably GCSE and A level too as long as it was something I or DH had studied/felt confident to help with.

I help with homework if asked, usually things like helping to find resources we have here (too many books to think about looking through for instance) or being in the same room when doing an internet search.

Getting stuck is not a regular thing, if it was I would raise it with the school.

I work from home though and can always find the time to help. One of my siblings with a very full on job had a series of tutors.

Cost. Tutor was £25 for less than an hour I think it was 40 mins.

Ds has just started at a superseltive grammar. He saw a tutor for 1.5 hours a week throughout yr5. He was in a mixed year group of 34 in the state system, he wasn't being stretched at all and made no progress at all for a whole year (year 4). At the beginning it was tough, but he learnt to focus and concentrate. With dd we are starting in yr4 (again 30+ in a mixed year group) so that she is used to working hard and using her brain before next year.
I am always avialible to help with homework, in year 3-5 I expect to sit down and do it with them (like reading in KS1). Ds is in year 7 and rarely asks for help (once a week). The tutor my dcs goes to sets lots of homework and explicitly states that the dcs will need guidance to complete it.
Reasons people have shared with me for not using a tutor are
1)don't want to put too much pressure on dcs
2)don't want to commit to regular time each week
3)money

Hope that helps

Fair point racundra. Although it would mean that the tutor is equipped with the knowledge/tools/skills to teach this. But it goes back to the earlier point - lots of parents would want proven track record with the 11+ if that was their reason for getting a tutor. I'm really thinking about the reasons for/against tutoring outside of this, too. Agreed on the cost issue!

Thanks lavendersun. Sounds like you're on top of it at home - would be great if all households were like that. Your sibling uses a tutor because they have less time due to work?

Thanks stillwishihadabs. Really helpful shame you felt they weren't pushed at school. I think there's now more pressure on schools to push all children, and greater accountability (but no way of assessing... Don't get me started!) sounds like the tutor was the right move for you/ds.

It certianly was. I am very happy with the service we got and consider it excellent value for money (£30 for 1.5 hours including loads of materials).

Yes, sd, sibling and spouse work very long hours, children have a nanny.

The reasons Stillwish posted are very good, I would agree with the first two, especially the pressure one.

We live rurally, if I wanted a tutor, which I don't, the odds on finding one within 20 miles are slim.

Add driving time to the tutor's time and you would be looking at 2 hours. We already have three regular evening commitments, plus Saturday music school.

There is nothing I/we couldn't manage at primary age.

As a tutor myself I have found most students want GCSE tuition, rather than primary. That said I do think children can lag behind unnoticed at primary and it would be so much easier if difficulties were dealt with at that age rather than having a panic at GCSE.

But if the tutor was an outstanding teacher & a specialist, with experience teaching Chn of this age, do you think that would help to start with?

I think in your first few years you would get those parents who have maybe left it a bit late so the tutors with an established track record have filled up, as you got your own local reputation you would fill up early. But in 11+ areas there is a huge demand and limited supply!

'But if the tutor was an outstanding teacher & a specialist'

what do you mean by specialist?

I don't think you need a specialist for Yr 4-6. We have two STEM masters here and various other seemingly useless qualifications between us, I am sure we could pull anything we needed to out of the hat even if it was not something we had done for 30 years at primary age.

The only reason I would need a tutor was if I didn't have time to do a bit of extra work with DD myself.

We had a few tutors for dd when she was H.ed but most were friends who whilst qualified and experienced teachers, were happy to do it for free or a bartering system.
This is maybe different to what you proposed but maybe another avenue you could utilise, obviously as only part of your clientele.
My dd had 3 music tutors and a mfl tutor and completed topics from ks2 in Italian, French, and German.