All About Finding & Evaluating Tutors

[sunnydays]

Actually I am fine with anyone who CAN really teach my children. I will just ask around and see. It doesn’t mean that Current or Ex school teacher can teach better. I have heard that some school teachers can’t even teach properly! Wonder how they pass their NIE.

[meinteel]

Haha I believe they can teach, just that they cant be bothered to do so!


What kind of tuition are you looking for? Which level?

[Mdm Koh]

meinteel:

Full time/Working adult tutors - I dont see any good benefits expect for experience. IMO not in touch with syllabus, generally older and thus no \"age benefit\". No formal training, academic & teaching capabilities unverified. Tend to charge higher than student tutors but I see no good reason.

As a full-time tutor, I will try to clarify your doubts.

\"not in touch with syllabus\" - Find a full-time tutor with experience and he or she will be in touch with the syllabus. I will speak with candour here. In order to make a decent living from full-time tuition, a tutor needs to teach more than 10 students a month. It's highly improbable that a tutor can teach more than 10 students a month and still be \"not in touch with the syllabus\". If so, he won't be in this business for long.

\"generally older and thus no 'age benefit'\" - Being friendly towards the student is not the same as being friends with the student. A tutor, just like a school teacher, needs to watch his or her conduct and maintain some distance to gain the student's respect.

\"No formal training, academic & teaching capabilities unverified\" - The formal training part I agree. As for academic capabilities, most tuition agencies require tutors to scan and email their degree scrolls and certs before taking on an assignment. Parents can also request to view the certs before the first lesson. Teaching capabilities are harder to verify, but again, if the tutor is experienced, there shouldn't be any problems.

\"Tend to charge higher than student tutors but I see no good reason\" - Yes, parents have to fork out more to hire a full-time tutor. However, they can be more assured that they are hiring someone committed and responsible. A full-time tutor who fares poorly in these aspects will be dropped by the agencies.

For student tutors, although they are more affordable and may be able to teach well, the disadvantage is that there is always the chance of there being a \"conflict of interest\" when their university exam dates draw near.

Do they spend more time studying for their all-important exams or do they continue with tuition? There is no easy answer... If the student tutor has not been doing consistent revision, chances are, he will need to do last-minute cramming and will prioritise his exams over his tuition students' exams. :siam:

Hope that clarifies the doubts you have about the pros and cons of hiring a full-time tutor.

[bleeze]

meinteel:

Haha I believe they can teach, just that they cant be bothered to do so!


What kind of tuition are you looking for? Which level?

I agreed with meinteel. They can teach but really lack of responsibility.
Previously, I had engaged a current school teacher to teach dd. We sent dd to the tutor's house. While dd was doing her composition at the living room's table, the tutor left dd alone doing her compo and went to watch television with her husband although the sound volume was rather soft. But the TV was just three steps away from dd's table. Both the tutor and her husband are current school teacher. I was so upset and discontinued with the tutor.

[MotherHen]

I personally would choose a full-time tutor. So far, my experience with full-time tutors have been wonderful – knowledgeable, responsible, committed.


To be very honest, I have not had good experience with current teachers (even though they charge a higher rate). The main grouse is that they are so tied up with commitments in school that they don’t have enough time for their tutees (JMHO). Both times I tried current teachers, I had to terminate their services as they always change/cancel timing at the last minute.

[janice_0950]

Yes...I think have to depends of parents required.


However, after my bad experienced. And hired a tutor fr one of a Tuition Agency. Agency introduced one of them. And she with me a year. Within a year, I found out....something which parents concern. Lastly she is not full-time tutor seemed no reasonable @ all. while I noticed she keep on changes her time and cancel. Was told that she in tight scheduled. Because her existing PSLE student's. And I asked she are you not interested to teach my boy. She replied no. Only she are fully scheduled tight. So whatever, she wants the time and I tried to meet her requires. Lastly, sms me she cannot teach my boy. As feeling bad & she scheduled v tight. OMG! what the ....:( sob sob sob! My boy SA2 are coming soon.

So why now I am looking forward full-time tutor. instead of part time etc.

[janice_0950]

:imdrowning: Hi all,


However, any recommends to me? :?: :?:
@ East area (Tampines) upp. primary. (3 subjects) Maths, Eng & Science.
Am wants a full-time tutor. As my bad experience. ;( sob sob sob...

[springdance]

I am trying to decide btw the tutor for my kid who is in K1:


Option 1: Young Preschool Teacher with Early Childhood Edu Cert
Option 2: FT Tutor with 5yrs experience and A Levels cert (no degree)

I know some of you may ask why I need to engage a pte tutor for my kid at such a young age... We have tried putting him through group enrichment classes and he simply dun concentrate well. Both me & huby are FT working and comes home late and are too tired or \"frustrated\" :stompfeet: to teach. Hence, we decided to outsource for the 1-to-1 teacher.

So, if you were me, would you pick option 1 or option 2? :?

[hquek]

Have they met your child? Who is better at engaging/controlling your child?

[Mdm Koh]

Is your intention to prepare your child for primary 1? If so, I think that you need to assess the two tutors’ qualifications and hire one who is able to teach EMS at primary level. When hiring a tutor, view it as a long-term commitment. If your child is happy with the tutor, you can engage the same tutor even after he’s graduated from kindy.


As your child is young and not able to concentrate for long periods of time, you can ask the tutor to give him small breaks between tasks, so that the lesson doesn’t overwhelm him.