Asia spending billions on tutors: study

[doodbug]

Just a little suggestion.


It is not fair to put the blame foursquare on MOE, or schools, or teachers. One cannot blame the tuition phenomenon solely on the system. Parental desires and insecurities also contribute to the tuition industry.

At the same time, I don’t think we can discount the individual experience within a system, like janet_lee888’s for example. And there are individual children who may have had it less easy; they may happen to have a slew of poor teachers. And while this experience cannot be generalized to apply to all kids in PH (or any primary school for that matter), she is sharing solely her son’s experience and perhaps there’s no harm acknowledging, encouraging her and being a little emphathetic. Hiring tutors for a son who’s failing is a natural reflex action, me thinks.

My kids are not in upper primary yet and I certainly pray for good teachers in the years to come. At the end of the day, there will be good teachers, good encounters, less-than-desirable teachers, bad encounters. If a teacher isn’t teaching sufficiently, I can step in, or hire a tutor. But if a child hates school, is adverse towards teachers etc, I am helpless. Perhaps that’s why I’m just grateful that my children enjoy going to school and I don’t have to cajole them to do so everyday.

[Lilac66]

janet_lee88:

jedamum:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]Why does son need tuition? Bcos he is failing. This is the year he sits for PSLE. I am very scared and frustrated he needs tutors to get through school year but that is a fact.


Think we are all tired of this issue.

hi janet_lee88,
on hindsight, would u have started your boy on tuition earlier?
i read that your boy used to get 80marks for math in P4 (did i get that right?)
makes me kindof worried now...

Son had 84 for Math in P4. We were happy.
Hubby and I taught him ourselves since P1...though he had weekly Chinese tuition. But we were very hands-on with him. Son did pretty well up till P4. From P5 onwards, his grades literally dropped. Hubby couldn't coach him in Math anymore. Daily homework was torture bcos hubby would be sitting at table cracking his head, not knowing how to coach...everyday.

Now I am thinking if I should start younger one on tuition earlier...this way, we do not have to worry when she reaches P6.

We refused to believe in tutors. But last year, we had to.[/quote]
I can understand how you feel even though my P5 DS does not have tuition. He's faring well except for Chinese. But we do coach him at home. I'm just voicing out my feelings as my heart goes out to kids who are struggling and do not have help(or parents can't help much) and teachers do not teach sufficiently well as they assume most kids will have tutors to explain concepts more in-depth.

In fact, I've heard from a caller during a call-in radio program (teaching in a top school) that it's easier to teach in top schools as most of the kids have tuition and you just need to go through the basics.

I don't deny there are passionate and committed teachers, if only they're the majority. And this is not a teacher-bashing post but more of my own feelings about it.

But if you're talking about having tuition just to stay at the top for those already bright kids, then it's another story.

[Mychildren]

Hi, I agreed with what tutormum had said. I do hope that all my children have the fighting spirit and to stand up when they fall.

(Which school is more important - school of morale or school of high academic performance? by tutormum) : I'll choose the first one.

I do not have the budget for 2k for tuition monthly so this is out for me. I tried to coach my children myself though their grades may not be fantastic.

Here, I'm not against tuition. Please don't misunderstand me.

[oxyleo]

Channel News Asia is conducting a quick poll: Opinion about private tuition for children.


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?id=843&ranid=7869

[janet88]

It’s simply great to read all your comments. Lots of factors play a part in education system…of course there are black sheep and it’s unfortunate to get that black sheep as teacher.

[tutormum]

oxyleo:

Channel News Asia is conducting a quick poll: Opinion about private tuition for children.


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?id=843&ranid=7869

How to vote arh?

[oxyleo]

tutormum:

oxyleo:

Channel News Asia is conducting a quick poll: Opinion about private tuition for children.


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?id=843&ranid=7869

How to vote arh?

Hi tutormum.
Please click on \"Home\" to get to CNA's home page.
Then at bottom left of the screen, you can choose by clicking on the option that best reflects your opinion.
Next, click \"Vote\".

[tutormum]

oxyleo:

tutormum:

[quote=\"oxyleo\"]Channel News Asia is conducting a quick poll: Opinion about private tuition for children.


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?id=843&ranid=7869

How to vote arh?

Hi tutormum.
Please click on \"Home\" to get to CNA's home page.
Then at bottom left of the screen, you can choose by clicking on the option that best reflects your opinion.
Next, click \"Vote\".[/quote]Done. Thanks for your help. Did you see the results so far? Hope somebody up there is watching.

[janet88]

That ‘somebody’ could also be getting tutors to coach his/her kids.

[janet88]

jedamum:

janet_lee88:

Why does son need tuition? Bcos he is failing. This is the year he sits for PSLE. I am very scared and frustrated he needs tutors to get through school year but that is a fact.


Think we are all tired of this issue.

hi janet_lee88,
on hindsight, would u have started your boy on tuition earlier?
i read that your boy used to get 80marks for math in P4 (did i get that right?)
makes me kindof worried now...

A friend of mine started her son on tuition since P3 or P4. Her son had a good foundation in Math & Science. Even though many kids had drastic drop in grades for Math at P5, her son was not badly affected...in fact, he still passed.
Careless mistakes can be controlled, if child is willing to be more careful by checking (re-do) rather than rushing through. Unfortunately, mine is the type who gets questions done in a flash.