Private tutor????

[ChampagneDahling]

Help!
My DS has done terribly in mock GCSEs and desperately needs science tutor, but I can find one - oh no! All the local ones I have found are booked up and the teachers of his school are apparently also booked up - obviously other people thought this thro quicker than I did.

Has anyone got any good ideas where to find a gcse science private tutor??? We are in Hertfordshire.

Have you tried an agency?

Yes - lots of them! Their tutors are either booked up, too far away or don't operate in our area.

Is there a university anywhere near you? You might get a science student to help - they usually need the money.

champagne - have you asked the other mums at the school? What about contacting science teachers at other schools?

Or failing that - if you are reasonably competenet try helping him yourself. when my dd was struggling ( first term yr 7) I bought a big yellow guide to yr 7 science ( can't remember the author) which explained the core material ( great for you to understand it to) and gave short tests after each section and test papers at the end too.

From struggling wit the material , dd ended up getting 90% and coming top in her year - this was from me going through it line by line and teesting her on diagrams/formulae and practice papers.

i appreciatge that this isn't for everyone ubt if you can't find a tutor you can give it a shot.

I worry that uni students won't be experienced enough to teach how to answer specific exam board questions - what examiners are looking for etc.

DH and have tried helping ourselves but family seems to be too close and he gets frustrated with us.

How do I approach science teachers at other school? Seems cheeky to ring up schools and ask them if their teachers do private tuition - can one do that????

Hmmm - you could try getting the names from other mothers and thn googling them or looking htem up in the phonebook. When you call you could just ask whether they tutor?

Ok - its worth a try - thanks lisalisa.

Have you spoken to the Science teacher/head of Science at her own school yet? They may well be running extra lessons for pupils who have fallen below target.

Have you tried finding one through this website?

www.uktutors.com/ it is free to the user.

If you can't find a tutor, he could try a GCSE Revision Course at Easter. There are lots of providers - this organisation has members that run such courses. DS2 has good experiences from the ones he has attended for GCSE and AS.

Thanks - have tried uktutors already. Will bear revision course in mind but school are running some extra revision classes at Easter already. Talked to science teacher and head of science first of all - they suggested extra tuition.

Has anyone tried online tuition?

Message withdrawn

Thanks bloss ! Will do.

How about doing some past papers with him if you can't get a tutor and/or going through one of the revision guides.

I can remember getting 32% in my physics o level mock and managing to get a B in the real thing just by learning from a revision book- I never really had any understanding of the subject and had no help from my parents either!

Have you got the Family Grapevine listings magazine in your area. Try the library as it will have several pages of tutors

Thanks samanthar - will look in library - never heard of it!

Thanks mycatunderstandsme - we have tried doing the past papers with him and going thro revision guides, but he is never keen to do it with us. He has had extra tuition for another subject and responds well to that so will keep looking.

Have done what you suggested bloss thanks.

He's just not very focussed bless him but then he is a 16 and a boy! He will grow up someday!

My friend runs an agency www.teachmetuition.co.uk, and I know that she has science tutors on her books. Give her a call. I am based in Stevenage and am a qualified science teacher as well. The reason why he has done so badly in his mocks is probably because he doesn't know how to revise.

You could teach him how to make notes, do mind maps and learn the course material. He may be reading his notes and understanding them but can he recall facts? For example does he know the formula for working out the resistance of a substance or can he label a reflex pathway of a reflex reaction?

Thanks mumstheone. I'm already in touch with teachmetuition and she says she has got someone who can help so fingers crossed.

I agree about online tuition but am considering both - belt and braces!

You are not free are you.......?????

My DD did some tuition for a friends DD lasy year. She is only in the 6th form but the knowledge was still fresh (and she only tutored in the subjects she was continuing in the 6th form).

Might be an option if all else fails? Friendly 6th former who has passed well recently??

A school can't really recommend tutors as it means admitting that they have failed that student.

When I have been asked about tutoring (not at my current school, I hasted to add), it is always form parents whose children are lazy or misbehave during lessons. I just tell them the truth.

It is different for pupils who have missed lots of lessons through illness, sporting tournaments etc.

Champagne I am not free, otherwise I would have offered my services. If you do get stuck though, let me know.

Thanks anyway mumstheone!

Scienceteacher - I think I have lazy type not badly behaved - thank goodness - I think !

I think I'm almost sorted but thank you for everyone's input !