All About Finding & Evaluating Tutors

[AdonciaTang]

Kellystarry:

Normally tutor/centres will cover all areas. For mine, they cover 2 compo & verbal skills per month. Mini tests every month. Keep them in check!

Mine too. When my boys come back home, they will always say \" Mummy, listen listen, let me read to you, I need to practice\". because their tutor asked them to practice at home and if they read well when tested the next lesson, they get to earn points.

[CamiTLX]

Hi Parents and other Forum-mates,


What are the things parents look out for when sourcing private tutors for their children?

I mean, I understand that experience and rates of the tutors are two major considerations. However, are there other factors?

Also, how do you source for tutors? Word-of-mouth, newspaper, prior experience or online websites?

Thanks!

[TheAnswer]

CamiTLX:

Hi Parents and other Forum-mates,


What are the things parents look out for when sourcing private tutors for their children?

I mean, I understand that experience and rates of the tutors are two major considerations. However, are there other factors?

Also, how do you source for tutors? Word-of-mouth, newspaper, prior experience or online websites?

Thanks!

We go for word of mouth, trusted agencies which our friends use and we favor tutors with own teaching materials. I prefer tutors older than 30 also cos they are usually more committed and more mature.

[timtim]

So disappointed of encountering a very irresponsible tutor today. I got the tutor via a tution agency and suppose to start lesson this morning but she never turn up. The agency also can’t contact her, not only today but the last few days. Agency should have inform me earlier. Sigh. She’s not fit to be a tutor with such attitude and mindset. I just want to warn all parents here.


Her name is Estella, age 24, a current part-time student at UniSIM studying english language and she stays in AMK. I have such high hope and confidence in her and yet she’s like that. We woke up early to prep and waited in vain.

If anyone has good tutor to recommend for P3 creative writing/oral, I would appreciates very much. I stays in Sengkang and my son is in Nan Chiau.

[Lynn1967]

recommendations by parents or forums lor.

[vinegar]

hi,

i recently engaged a tutor,who is ex-teacher for abt 3years.She is now teaching tuition as part time n only 25yrs old.I pay for S$45 per hr for teaching english for my P3 son.

can I chk:
1) Is this a normal rate?

2) Agent says no need to chk the tutor certificates,etc…asked her how she knew if the tutor really a ex-teacher,she said if happen to know tutor lies,they’ll blacklist them.
So parents don’t nid to chk.

3) She normally just grabs a assessment book fr. the bookshelf n teach my son.There is no structure in her teaching.Agent said this is normal practice.If wanna to hv structure,shld go to tuition centre.

4) She makes my son copies the composition from the assessment book,gave him lot of times homework such as comprehension & grammar.I’ve to struggle to teach my son how to complete the homework given by her n fr. school.

5) She always wears "homebased" type clothes(cartoon T-shirt n shorts).She also nvr greet me b4. Came in straight away sit down.Try to ask her few questions but she always seems to be impatient.

Shld I continue to engage her?

[Just relax]

vinegar:

hi,

i recently engaged a tutor,who is ex-teacher for abt 3years.She is now teaching tuition as part time n only 25yrs old.I pay for S$45 per hr for teaching english for my P3 son.

can I chk:
1) Is this a normal rate?

2) Agent says no need to chk the tutor certificates,etc....asked her how she knew if the tutor really a ex-teacher,she said if happen to know tutor lies,they'll blacklist them.
So parents don't nid to chk.

3) She normally just grabs a assessment book fr. the bookshelf n teach my son.There is no structure in her teaching.Agent said this is normal practice.If wanna to hv structure,shld go to tuition centre.

4) She makes my son copies the composition from the assessment book,gave him lot of times homework such as comprehension & grammar.I've to struggle to teach my son how to complete the homework given by her n fr. school.

5) She always wears \"homebased\" type clothes(cartoon T-shirt n shorts).She also nvr greet me b4. Came in straight away sit down.Try to ask her few questions but she always seems to be impatient.

Shld I continue to engage her?

I think you have answered your own question! Why would u tolerate such a tutor for your DS. The tutor must show her qualifications and p/copy of certs.

U need to sit down with tutor and set down certain requirements because u are paying her to help your DS,
1. What is her plan for DS for the rest of term 1 (no need to ask for whole year unlike for tuition centre who are organized on a 10 week term and 40 week year program)
2. What is her lesson plan for each lesson?
3. What is DS expected to do as homework and why?
4. What happens if tutor cannot make it or DS cannot make it, how much advance notice to give?
5. What assessment books to recommend (impt. if tutor says any will do then that is a strong signal tutor does not care). Good tutors know the good assessment books -there is so much rubbish out there all written by unknown authors!
6. How is tutor going to prepare DS for exam.

That is it I think.

[janet88]

My tutors were recommended via word of mouth...I will buy that bcos only if they are reliable, friends will recommend.


For chinese, I am the one who buys the assessment books for my younger one. But tutor will advise me what titles to get especially for my son in sec 1.

Punctuality is very important...as well as those who are not watching the clock or watch all the time.

I had a tutor once. She insisted my daughter call me to the room while lesson was ongoing...I was like, 'what's the urgency'? Know what? She told me my daughter successfully learnt some hanyu pinyin. :mad: :slapshead:

[vinegar]

I've a lot of assessment books on the shelf n leave it to the tutor to use.


So far,none of my tutor recommends me any book to buy.I was the one who told her which books r good based on my judgment.

i guess most tutors do not bring their teaching material,right?I mean i am ok they use the books on the shelf. But i've this english tutor,made my son use different books each time...i feel a bit disorganized. She always gives a lot of homework,comprehension,copy compo..& i've to spend times to teach my son complete the homework she gave.

[AdonciaTang]

janet_lee88:

My tutors were recommended via word of mouth...I will buy that bcos only if they are reliable, friends will recommend.


For chinese, I am the one who buys the assessment books for my younger one. But tutor will advise me what titles to get especially for my son in sec 1.

Punctuality is very important...as well as those who are not watching the clock or watch all the time.

I had a tutor once. She insisted my daughter call me to the room while lesson was ongoing...I was like, 'what's the urgency'? Know what? She told me my daughter successfully learnt some hanyu pinyin. :mad: :slapshead:

Yes I agree with you janet.

Recently my elder son did very well for his common test and I am so happy! Thanks to his tutor who constantly been encouraging him. I always feel that a tutor don just teach, they need to teach with passion and fire.