All About Finding & Evaluating Tutors

[angwc]

Twinklesss:

Hi,

would like to understand for 1to1 tutor, usually they will only use assessment book and past yr paper?

Just hire a new tutor from 1 of the agency for EMS, so need to understand what should i be expecting.

If in the event i find her not suitable, do we need to give advance notice to stop the lesson?

Depends, in my opinion:
Level 1: Just come and answer questions
Level 2: Just bring assessment books and past year papers
Level 3: Customised worksheets based on your child's needs. The questions can come from assessment books but rearranged or carefully selected instead of throwing a pile of books / papers and do them.

Yes the parent has the right to stop an assignment but do let the tutor know in advance. Similarly the tutor has also the right to stop an assignment by notification in advance if he / she finds that the tuition is not working well.

[janet88]

no offence to tutors. but it is really sad to have to get one. why? because the teacher in school is 1) not able to reach out to all 2) not doing enough

3) not doing anything.
son just started biology tuition…the tutor had to start from scratch.
unfortunately the tutor mentioned that there is so much she can do in 1.5 hours once a week. son is already trying his best to read up but if teacher is not teaching well and exam questions are way beyond what is not taught, then what do parents do?

[Yick Ting]

janet88:

no offence to tutors. but it is really sad to have to get one. why? because the teacher in school is 1) not able to reach out to all 2) not doing enough

3) not doing anything.
son just started biology tuition....the tutor had to start from scratch.
unfortunately the tutor mentioned that there is so much she can do in 1.5 hours once a week. son is already trying his best to read up but if teacher is not teaching well and exam questions are way beyond what is not taught, then what do parents do?

Suggest your son to do his reading and then clarify his doubt with the internet search engines? Only if the internet is not helping then the tutor has to come in to help to clarify his doubt. A tutor's job is to guide / discipline / inspire the learning process, not to really teach yes they still do teach to strengthen the understanding but ultimately its the kid who wants to learn or not. To be honest, I feel a school subject syllabus can be finished within less than an academic school year, so i don't think its impossible to catch up.

[janet88]

I can see him making an effort to want to do well. at this age, face is also important. what he needs to know and learn is the technique to answer questions as well as more in-depth reading.

[zbear]

janet88:

I can see him making an effort to want to do well. at this age, face is also important. what he needs to know and learn is the technique to answer questions as well as more in-depth reading.

Janet, why not increase tuition to 2 hours for yr DS to catch up.

Also you can ask tutor for study techniques to tackle bio? There is still time before EOY. Yr ultimate goal is O levels next year.

I understand bio is not as difficult as chem or physics. Just a lot of memory work.

[TheAnswer]

Zbear is right. Biology is not as difficult. Please ask your tutor to teach answering techniques … cannot just teach content… If not it will be wasting your money… Ask her to provide additional notes and practice questions…

[janet88]

thanks zbear and TA.


zbear,
didn't realize the urgency of his bio subject :oops:
focus is on the younger one.

[janet88]

zbear:

Janet, why not increase tuition to 2 hours for yr DS to catch up.

Also you can ask tutor for study techniques to tackle bio? There is still time before EOY. Yr ultimate goal is O levels next year.

I understand bio is not as difficult as chem or physics. Just a lot of memory work.

hi zbear,
we discussed with his tutor to increase the frequency for 3 months. once he has a better understanding and get better results in his next test, it will be reduced to once a week...so now it's tightening belt period.

[Swift Formula]

Twinklesss:

Hi,

would like to understand for 1to1 tutor, usually they will only use assessment book and past yr paper?

Just hire a new tutor from 1 of the agency for EMS, so need to understand what should i be expecting.

If in the event i find her not suitable, do we need to give advance notice to stop the lesson?

For Maths, yes, Assessment books and past year papers give a very close expectation for PSLE papers.

I, as a full-time tutor, do not pick questions from books and throw to students, explain and be done with it. Part-time tutors might do that since they lack of time to prepare the topics and questions for students individually.

I would go the extra mile to understand deeply each and every student's capability in solving questions. It would greatly assist the tutors to understand and see things from student's point of view, be it the right answer or wrong answer. What works for student A might not work with student B. Therefore when teaching in classes, teachers and tutors tend to generalize and gives lectures that are considered to be applicable to most of the students.

As for my own personal method of teaching Mathematics, I wouldn't go further in details. A great chef will never tell his secret recipe(formula). Same as no other manufacturing companies will tell their own \"Formula\".

Depends on each and every tutor. I believe it's good to give advance notice like 1 week or 2.
For me, I would try my best to compile a personal file of the student and handle it over before he/she stops coming to my lessons. As for the file contents, it's my personal secret \"formula\" so I wouldn't go in details. Yes, the student might not be my student anymore, but 一日为师 ，终身为父 , and any \"Dad\" will wish and want the best for all his \"children\". I maybe teaching them in Maths only but I also hope to be able to guide them in life so that they would become 国家未来的栋梁 。

Lastly :thankyou: for reading.

[Swift Formula]

janet88:

zbear:

Janet, why not increase tuition to 2 hours for yr DS to catch up.

Also you can ask tutor for study techniques to tackle bio? There is still time before EOY. Yr ultimate goal is O levels next year.

I understand bio is not as difficult as chem or physics. Just a lot of memory work.

hi zbear,
we discussed with his tutor to increase the frequency for 3 months. once he has a better understanding and get better results in his next test, it will be reduced to once a week...so now it's tightening belt period.

If there's a need to increase the tuition lesson hours, I do not recommend to reduce it after tests/exams . I recommend that lessons stay high frequency for another 2 months at least so student can get used to that level of revision/hardwork. Unless it's after O's or A's , then no point continue any lessons since we do not know which subject to expect. PSLE -> Sec 1 is expected subjects for all, but most parents would take children overseas.

Don't be the 临时抱佛脚 , before every MYE EoY papers go for high frequency tuition. It's good to have constant pace with minimum alteration.
6 hours a week ....
3~6 months later, 4 hours a week ....
6~12 months later, 2 hours a week ....
12~24 months later, 1 hour a week .... even if you're the best student in class and in the entire school, tuition still helps.