Upset with home math tutor

[mummyxoxo]

Jejubear\" post_id=\"1911936\" time=\"1558718559\" user_id=\"93451:

Just want to share my frustration and stress with my child's math tutor. My child taking psle this year and weak in math. I engaged a math tutor (male) upon recommendation via word of mouth. Turned out to be nightmarish for me and child. Tutor has been with us for about 4 mths now. Every lesson, tutor will update me how weak my child is in Math and also told my child that his standard sucks. Tutor told my child that his Problem sums cannot do, surely english standard must be like shit as well and won't do well for other subjects. Initially, i thought he is just pushing my child on to make him stronger and more resilient. I am wrong, the harsh words are more often heard and now tutor starts comparing my child with how top school students fare and that my child will not match up to national cohort if he continues to lag behind and not buck up. Tutor asked for full month payment upfront and i have yet to sack him as i won't be getting my $ back. i have 2 more lessons to go. Though my child is feeling very stressed and fearful now that he thinks he is no good, he said he is willing to bear with this for next 4 mths as psle is around the corner and asked me not to change tutor. He fears that his math will worsen further if change tutor. i feel so guilty to let this go on for 4 mths. How do i revive my child's confidence now? I don't think i will consider a home tutor again. Any recommendation for small group tuition with real caring passionate teacher? I stay in the eastern part of singapore. Thanks.

Hi,

I have similar experience before. What I can recommend you to do is to have a conversation with the tutor and tell him about the issue. If things remain as bad, you may change tutor. I think you can still hire private tutors - there are definitely still nice, patient, professional and experienced private tutors around. But if you want to be on the safer side, you may want to tell the tutor beforehand about your child's situation and what the tutor should try to avoid doing. All the best to you!

[sharonkhoo]

No point continuing if it’s affecting his morale. But try to get the next tutor through recommendation.

[Jejubear]

Have spoken to the tutor. I also discovered problem sums which my child did with him and answers are wrong but left them as such. I also spoke to tutor on this and his reply was so long as method right and the child understands, doesnt matter if final answer is right or wrong. To me this is rubbish. Tutor now comes to my house with a black face… my first experience with home tutor and it’s so terrible.

[MrsKiasu]

this is terrible…imho, changing tutor will be better…maybe starts with getting your child look at the sample qns with ans provided…never mind that he look at the answer to try understand how to get it…after few qns, get him maybe redo the same qns let him get a feel? meanwhile looking for other tutors?

[Jejubear]

Yes i am looking for other tutors and also helping him personally as best i can.

[swortionery]

I've heard nothing but positive things about Study Room (a few of my own students attend classes there, as I don't do Math). Check them out!


http://studyroom.sg/

[brainstorm21]

math? really? he couldn’t help you?

[mondecoinmetier]

I can feel your frustration. I encounter this problem too in one of the tuition center. Also similar situation Maths teacher. Only know how to say my son Maths no good. If my son Maths so good then I won’t be sending him to tuition. Plus, the teacher keeps indicated that it is his fault that his parents have to be relocated to another counrty due to job. Embarrass him infront of the class instead of teaching him and showing some patience. The teacher must be too popular so got attitude problem. I was furious! I lodge a complain. The teacher called me to apologize but the damage is done. He no longer interested in doing Maths in that tuition center and I have pull him out to relocate him into another tuition center. Lucky I have back up plan if not the one who suffer would be my child.

[chartyl]

Oh dear sorry you had to go through that. My son had a teacher who behaved terribly too, always putting the blame on my son that he is a weak student etc. I told the teacher off and said if my son is strong academically, why would I still hire you?! Your job is to figure out why he is weak and help him improve, not embarrass my son and cause him to hate the subject even more… I fired him after 2 lessons. Gosh.