tutor for a six year old

[sprout2]

I am looking for a tutor for my six year old son to help with his numeracy, writing and spelling. I have looked for tutors in the past, and have not found them particularly engaging.

I really need someone who will make learning fun, and will in turn build his confidence in the classroom.

I live in Walthamstow, so a tutor living in east or north london would be ideal.

so, have read just over half the thread...so not all..have read op's encouring skills such as..post....at 6....if you have to encourage theses skills, it makes me think, is there something the matter with your child, i.e. developmental delayed? Is that why you worry?

(that was to trickerg by the way)

Effie - yes! And the point I was trying to make is that it's not (only? just?) the middle-class parents who seek out a tutor.

It would be nice if parents felt they were able to help their kids learn to read too, as well as relying on the school...

"It would be nice if parents felt they were able to help their kids learn to read too, as well as relying on the school..."

If that was directed at me, I have clearly said that it is the parent's job to read with the child and support the school - but it is the school's job actually to do the teaching. School literacy is the driving lesson, reading with parents it the driving round the housing estate with the L plates on.

Like the metaphor

Don't know whether I agree, or not. To a degree maybe...

Good metaphor, seeker

Welshwoman if the term 'teaching through play' to you means not using 'chalk and talk' or 'worksheets', then you will find that most teachers teach through play every day.
That wasn't, however, how it was touted on this thread, and that's what may have put our backs up - i.e. the idea of parents paying through the nose for things phrased as 'building lego houses', and phrases like 'Some people may be great at encouraging their children through play, some could do with a bit of help and guidance from a professional, no?' didn't help.
Since then, Umlellala has backtracked clarified matters, and her form of tutoring doesn't sound so different from most KS1 classes anyway.

I agree Feenie. It sounds just like any activity we would do in our KS1.

I always thought 'teaching and learning through play' means that children engage with other children, not just one adult. It looks like the modern tutor has jumped on the bandwagon to fit the new curriculum. How can you learn through play with one adult? The idea is quite unsettling!

Seeker, keep plugging that message about sharing books!!! Asked my Y2 class how many of them had ORT books at home. That response was quite unsettling too......

Well, yes, that's why I said I thought I hadn't said anything particularly controversial. I thought most KS1 teaching would be done this way, and didn't think I needed to explain too much. I do realise that some people are not aware that tutors can do this type of teaching too (it's just good teaching IMO. Read my posts, that's what I have said all along).

I did clarify I meant learning through play or realising the value of play. My use of the term 'play' is about experimentation, trying things out and enjoying the process as well as the result. As far as I am aware, my 11month old does that by himself when he puts things in and out of boxes, so I don't think you need other children to play, no. I'm sorry if that is different to the official jargon of the year curriculum phrasing.

I am a secondary teacher who has done a bit of informal tutoring (for not very much money) to build children's confidence. So shoot me.

But, at a risk of being called a patronizing cow again, I just can't imagine circumstances where a NT 6 year old would need any sort of tutoring. They ahve a day at school - I really don;t think they should be doing anything else school-ish however fun and playbased it is. I suppose that could be because I am too thick to understand!

Feenie, Umlellaala clarified her position ages ago (refer to her post of yesterday 22.19) but you were (and probably are) still disparaging of her suggestion that some people needed professional help.

Please do not pretend that it is just becoming clear what such tutors/advisors/sipport staff are trying to do.

Welshwoman I support your position on doing what you think is good and clearly beneficial for your child. It may be difficult for some to embrace that which is off the wall or avant garde even when the benefits stare them in the face.

Well, the kids I have worked with outside school have had very low level literacy and were getting more and more reluctant to participate/read/write. But I have only done two or three sessions to try and kickstart something (and to try and persuade parents that they can be helping through games and playing, rather than waste their money on tutoring). I do agree that children should be free in the evenings and weekends - school is long and hard enough!

(hope to join you on an anti-homework thread soon, Seeker )

Sorry, I should clarify. Some people waste money on tutoring when it is unnecessary, am sure there are circumstances where it may be beneficial - though I do lean towards thinking that most children would benefit better from using the time reading/chatting/playing/making something/cooking etc. Tutoring should be a short-term fix I think really.

I was not disparaging of her suggestion, maggiethecat; after her post of 22:19 I actually said I agreed with all her opinions regarding the importance of play and creative methods of teaching, but didn't think it would be the same people not already talking/playing with their children would be the same ones who would pay for someone else to do it. Sheesh.

I would agree with you there, too, Umlellala.

Um (name gets shorter, the more wine I drink , I think you're talking yourself out of tutoring!

Shall we start the homework discussion, I'm up for it now?!!

Yes, let us all have a glass and while we're at it raise a toast to those who are trying to smooth the path for their little ones.

Yes but if school can?t get the car started why not call in the AA - or should you just sit around and let them wear out the starter motor trying???

Personally I think homework for primary school should be banned, most of what my 10 yr old gets is make work stuff - though personally I love all the craft stuff - he hates it

Ban it. Except sharing books.

...but if the starter motor's on, and the car is running, why make the car run faster?

Hey, we're not supposed to agree(about homework)!

Sharing books and x tables, IMO.

trying to think of a way to extend the metaphor but can't.

Lots of children take a while to get started with reading - not being able to read at 6 is not a cause for concern. Year 2 is often the big breakthrough year.

Well I got a tutor for ds when he was about this age, and I will never ever regret it. It was the best thing I could have done for him.

Prior to the help he was obviously struggling, and starting to hate school, he refused to read, screamed when I tried to help them with spelling and was quite clearly going nowhere with school assistance. Following the tutor helping him for an hour once or twice a week, within months his whole attitude changed. He realised he could figure out reading, started taking pride in his skills, and most important to me actually picking up books for pleasure.

But apparently according to seeker there are no circumstances where a six year old might need help - and how would you necessarily know whether your child had SN or not - ds is dyslexic, but the school didn't help us to find that out, nor help him once they did know - I am sure there are plenty of children out there for whom a little extra one-to-one help from a skilled tutor would make a massive difference.

Seeker - my son is an August baby - he is going up, as I have said in my posts, to year 3 in Sep!!!

It is considerably more academic and they are expected to complete allot of work on their own - he will have no problem with the maths or anything except the reading and spelling so I would nbot hold him back a year

Nooka- I had though about dyslexia as both myself and my DS! are dyslexic - however a month with a tutor And also a cops review has show that he is not - just needed a bit of a jump start Am having a very similar experiance to you with my son re attitude etc

Remember that the way tutors make money is by telling you that your child needs to be tutored. This applies to SOME (not all, of course!) private tutors and ESPECIALLY to the big businesses. I have never met anyone who had an assessment from one of the famous tutoring companies who was told "Your child is doing fine, he or she doesn't need to come here." It is the nature of parenthood worry about your children and want to do the very best for them. Be wary - commercial organizations know this too.

And if this makes me a thick patronizing cow so be it.