Highers and tutoring

[happinessisfoundingin]

My DD is in s5 and doing 5 highers and says 2 of her teachers have encouraged students to get tutors.
Says all her friends have at least one.
She's an above average student but not the studious type , more the cram the night before type.
She's at an ok state school. Do you think tutoring helps? She already says the work is so hard.
We can afford it (just) but will be a stretch. My thinking is the tutor might make her realise how much work it to be done instead of burying her head in the sand. If teachers are hinting at getting private tutors are they thinking it's going to be hard to get this year up to scratch with last years fiasco. She has no study skills, I've tried to teach her some but she's stubborn and ignores me. Winging it has worked up till now but I know this year the work is more challenging and she's doing difficult subjects!
Anything for the parents that invested in private tuition was it worth the expense?
I imagine an actual teacher would be better than cheaper uni students etc.
She's already asking me to sit down with her and go through her physics course. It will be way beyond me now to be honest.

I really feel for the current S5…. If they aren’t in good habits of studying this year will come as an awful shock. The jump from N5 to higher is huge in most subjects- if she tries cramming the night before she will underperform. Aldo, it looks like there will be a fair bit of disruption this year too with current Covid cases rising in school. Tutors would help- but your daughter will have to work hard throughout the year too- they can’t wave a magic wand.

In some schools tutoring is quite prolific common!
I live in one of those areas where the results aren't down to the school alone.
mine have/have had a tutor for one subject each which they are struggling with.
IME it's really good at homing in on the areas the DC is struggling with and concentrating on those which is obviously much more difficult to do at whole class level.

DC1 might have failed H maths without tutor and DC2 needs one to hopefully get more than C for H English. Our English tutor is a secondary teacher, maths was a university student.

Tutoring does involve quite a bit of extra work though so I wouldn't do it for multiple subjects.
Of course we're not in normal times and the kids have missed so much education. But I would question the choice/number of Highers if a DC needs tutoring in several subjects

I’d be inclined to speak to your child’s teachers and ask why they are recommending tutors. I work in a school where it’s common to have a tutor, the first thing I say to parents asking about getting one is to ensure their child is putting in 100% effort in all their lessons and homework first to see if that has an impact. Quite often I find a tutor isn’t necessary- some people think a tutor can be a magic wand and replaces classroom learning, it’s there to complement it and isn’t a guarantee of an A/B/C etc. I’m not saying for one second this is the case with your child but I would ensure they are working their best in class first.

This year is entirely different and I know that the current S5s haven’t had the best S4 experience, some will need more support to get them through. I’ve tutored kids that work hard in school and need a little extra support and I’ve tutored kids that do nothing in school all week and think they’ll pass as they’ve got me- I’m honest with parents and in the past have ended contracts if they don’t put in the effort.

Apologies for the long comment, I guess I’m just trying to say get a good overall picture before you make a decision.

Thanks everyone. @scammedmum29 I fear this would be the case with my child. I'd be forking out for the tutor and she thinks this will automatically get her a better grade. The work still needs done!

Her main problem is she has no idea how to study. Luckily up to now she has been fine. It wasn't a proper s4 and they way it was laid out with so many tests/exams probably played to her strengths. The numerous tests meant she was forced to work throughout the year. She again would have only really studied 1/2 days before and even that was painful with procrastination. It was like they were being spoon fed. Don't get me wrong the constant testing was relentless but it meant she has a short term goal and couldn't leave topics out.

The year is going to be a major shock to the system. The volume of work, gaps in their knowledge as nat5 courses cut short , speed of delivery to get through the course.

I hear her friends parents talk about how hard independent workers their kids are and I think my DD is going to flounder under the pressure.

I think I will try a tutor and reevaluate at Christmas. At least I know there will be one hour per week focused on her problem subject. Otherwise I think she will just bury her head in the sand.

I'm surprised a school is recommending tutors. It's like announcing that what the teacher will teach will not be enough to pass. What about those who can't afford a tutor? Should they just drop out now?

I think it’s a sad state of affairs that teachers are saying that to the students and a bit out of order. As someone else said, what about the parents who can’t afford it (we couldn’t) And it’s quite an admission of failure on behalf of the teachers. My DS did his Highers last year so had major disruption but did a lot of self-directed learning via BBC Bitesize, YouTube and khan Academy (probably others but don’t know which). I’d be having a word with the Headteacher.

Her main problem is she has no idea how to study.

My DC1 was bit like this. Spent ages making little cards with all with relevant info but still didn't know how to actually use it.
We found past papers was the way for her. When they'd covered a topic she would attempt couple of questions from past papers and that showed her just how much she didn't know! The mark schemes are available so they can see what they should have included.

In many subjects it's about learning how to answer the question.
As the year goes on they often get set practice questions for homework and then will go over them in class. Make sure she is doing these!

Should also be help sessions in school. Mine have needed MUCH encouragement to attend these but they can take along a past paper question they're stuck on and get teacher to go over it with them.
The help sessions are quieter early on but very busy as it gets near exams

Of course tutoring helps.

But it's unusual that schools are actively recommending it. We had a tutor for DD for Nat 5 maths, and with his help she went from failing, to a solid B.

Lots of her friends have tutors too. Most parents here can afford to chuck a bit of money at it, and will actively seek out help - but only for a struggling child, or a child who is dead set on a particular degree (like medicine) and needs to get top marks in their exams. It's certainly not something which is standard for all kids, in all subjects.

The benefit of having a tutor is that it's targeted - DD's maths tutor went through all her tests from school, identified her weak spots, and concentrated on those.

School also runs additional study sessions after school and in the Easter break to support students coming up to exams.

The 2 teachers didn't say 'get a tutor'
One said take every 'bit of help you can' from any source you can.
Another said they had a physics tutor and teacher replied saying that would be hugely beneficial as they will be pushed to get through the content of the course (missed June where they normally start) and gaps from nat5 when course had bits removed.

What is your DDs intention after school? If it's University then I think in her case a tutor to teach her how to study (if there is such a thing) or some kind of motivation coach would be more beneficial in the long term than a specific subject tutor as it doesn't sound like it's the level of the work that is the issue.

If she doesn't learn how to study and self motivate then she will struggle at Uni and potentially drop out/not enjoy it/not achieve her potential.

dd has recently graduated so my experience is a little out of date. She was also doing 5 Highers including Maths. Although I had done H Maths myself it was 30 years before and neither DH nor I felt we could help. The end of S4 and Nat 5 maths was quite challenging so we found a tutor then who was a godsend.

DD had 1 hour per week from change of timetable in the June ( so for 2 or 3 weeks) and then 1 hour per week from the start of S5 all the way through. We found it made dd feel more confident and less anxious as she knew if there was something she didn't "get" at school she could ask the tutor. It also gave her the opportunity to consolidate what she was learning and to focus on areas where she felt weak. For us as a family it dialed down the stress levels enormously - I wasnt worried about trying to remember maths and trying to help. Also dd listened to the tutor where she wouldnt listen to me or dh so far less angst all round.

Tutor we had was a teacher who wasnt currently working - she was the wife of a teacher friend of a friend.

Have to say it was worth every penny in terms of confidence building and stress reduction - and dd got an A.

For your dd it might be worthwhile as it would be an "outside" person she will have to see regularly so might encourage her to work more steadily - and it's not you having to chivvy.

Even in normal circumstances getting through all the curriculum in an academic year is pretty tough going and I don't think there is much slack to revisit topics which haven't been securely grasped.

Have to say @BinBandit is correct - self motivation is really crucial. Youngsters who need prodded all the time will have a hard time at university although I do think a lot of youngsters mature astonishingly over the course of S5 and then in S6. The self motivated ones have an advantage tho.

The best 'studying' is firstly completing any and all homework activities. These will be all the study/ deeper learning/ learning reinforcement activities they need. If they have done all that, they can ask the teacher for specific activities for extra study.

Kids often think that one hour a week with a tutor will replace the 6 hours of homework they haven't done each week.

I agree that it can click too. My youngest didn't really click on until late 5th/early 6th year and managed to get enough to get into Uni doing what they wanted and has done really well. But, if you'd estimated the chance of that in 4th/early 5th, you wouldn't have put a bet on that happening. We didn't go down a tutor route as it would have been pointless given the general attitude and mood. Eldest has always just got on with it but then I don't think they've ever really had to work at anything and always done well academically. I don't think that is necessarily a good thing either.

I agree completely.

Do ALL homework timeously and thoroughly. Any issues ask the teacher next lesson/ supported study. There should be supported study running weekly for an hour per subject. Often only a handful turn up: they're the smart kids who get a 'tutoring' small group experience. Both DS1 and DS2 attended these weekly. DS1 needed them less, but DS2 (8 Nat 5s last year) really needed the extra focus. He stayed behind every day from Sep- March. If scho is not offering these ask why- loudly.

There's far too many middle-class schools relying on tutors for kids to achieve grades. It's ridiculous. There's also too much pressure to sit 5 Highers.If your DD needs various tutors perhaps that's an issue. DS1 is very academic, so 5 Highers was a breeze, really, then straight onto Adv Hs. DS2 is nothing like his brother: he's bright but has adhd. Despite school pushing for 5 Hs as 'he's able' I've put my foot down that he's only doing 3 Hs, one 2 year H (English) and an additional Nat 5. He will then take 3 more Highers in S6. Maybe a similar arrangement may suit your DD.

The push for 5 Hs is often for the school's data, not the benefit of the pupil.

Agree the push to do 5 Highers is often more for the schools benefit than the child's. Only caveat is that competitive courses/universities often want 5 H at one sitting.

One of ours was tutored in one subject
Got the A to get him 6 As
Just graduated with a First
no regrets

I don't disagree that the fact that schools are measured on 5 highers can be a factor, (dammed league tables!) but schools are also keen that pupils keep their options as open as possible for as long as possible. If they start doing three then discover their dream course requires more, it's too late. Whereas dropping / going units only can be done at any point theoretically.

Agree it does keep options open but it might be better for a particular dc to plan for 2 years and do 3 or 4 H in S5 and then pick up the others in S6 as @Puffalicious dc has done

Yes, it's true for many pupils. I teach in an inner city school in a deprived area: we have many, many pupils who do really well at 3 Hs then more in S6 before university/ college. We also have high fliers (one had 8 Hs by S5 😱 - she sat 2 in S4- but she was an anomaly) who are off to St As/ Edin/ Glasgow after sitting all in S5. It's about getting in right for every child. Needing multiple tutors is an indication that a particular path may not be right for that pupil.

We made a decision not to pay for private education but to supplement with tutors where required. So far I have no regrets, especially with maths. The maths tutor asks the DC to provide examples of work they are doing in class that they are struggling with which means that there isn't any extra work but everything they do at school is consolidated. One DC has gone from failing almost every maths test to passing them all with a B, if not an A.

@Puffalicious as a teacher you will know that supported study is run in a teacher's own time - so clearly not mandatory in any state school! A weekly session will not be possible for many teachers for various reasons. They might also decide it's not the best use of time when the same one or two students are the only ones who come.

(I totally agree re making the most of time with the teacher and completing homework etc)