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Read Aritcle | How Useful Is Tuition Exactly? | How To Find A Good Tutor? |

How Useful Is Tuition Exactly?By Joel Seah

In this present time and age, education has become a huge industry as people place more importance on academic qualifications. Of course, this is not to say that education was not important in the past. It is just that the competitiveness of today’s society makes it more crucial than ever to get a head start on your peers.

In Singapore, the tuition industry is growing at a faster rate than ever as parents seek to give their children any form of competitive edge that can assist them in school. However, does having tuition really work? After so many hours of studying in school, is there still a need for extra lessons?

It is true that having tuition is not a guarantee that the student’s grades will improve. In fact, most tutors are usually reluctant to offer any form of guarantee to parents. However, it is also true that tuition does make a difference to a student’s grades most of the time, and it does offer the student certain benefits that complements what is being taught in school.

For a start, it allows students to have a second shot at topics that they did not fully understand in school. Teachers in tuition centres are usually armed with proven study approaches and some tuition centres even provide a clear and well planned study timeline. This enables its students to learn about topics in advance, so when they go through it in school, it will be the second time they are exposed to learning.

Home tutors provide a different kind of benefit for the students. Very often, teachers in schools are running a tight schedule and face the challenge of catering to the learning needs of students with different learning abilities.

This makes it very hard for school teachers to focus their attention on every single student in the class. A home tutor bridges the gap by providing the attention and guidance that these students find impossible to receive in schools. In addition, home tutors are likely to come across students from different schools in their tutoring. This allows them to have an understanding of the different standards and practices among schools, and use it to better assist the student in learning.

Students are also more likely to express their doubts and seek clarification during a one to one tutoring session, as compared to a classroom setting with thirty other classmates. One to one tutoring is thus hugely beneficial for students who find it difficult to voice their thoughts in class, and for those with low self esteem.

In conclusion, tutoring is proven to make a difference to the academic performances of a child most of the time. Be it in a tuition agency with a well oiled system or a one to one home tutoring, the child will receive opportunities to better understand a topic or clarify their doubts in a less pressurising environment.

Of course, the benefits of tuition will improve greatly if the parents show their share of support for the child. Instead of warning their child to perform and not waste the money spent on tuition, parents should work together with their tutors to maximise the child’s potential and achieve greater success.

The Author is a certified Life Coach and practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) who specialises in Interpersonal Communication Skills, Sales and Customer Service Training.

How To Find A Good Tutor?By Joel Seah

Having tuition for a student has been proven to make a difference in his or her academic performances most of the time. Unlike a tuition agency where tutors are assigned to the classes, parents can usually determine the profile of a home tutor for their child.

Selecting the right tutor is very crucial in the student making the most out of the tuition. A good tutor can make a tuition session significantly more beneficial for the child, ensuring that the child not only clears up any doubts about topics taught in school, but also develop the confidence to move on and do well in the subject.

In a nutshell, a good tutor should possess four key elements in order to carry out the tutoring role effectively. They are:
  1. Dedication
  2. Ability to communicate
  3. Competence in subject
  4. Class management
1. Dedication
Good tutors have to show a healthy level of dedication and commitment towards their job and more importantly, their students. Only a dedicated tutor who is passionate and willing to take responsibility for his or her students’ grades will put in the extra effort to ensure the student improves.

This level of dedication is the difference between tutors who will put in extra hard work and prepare additional materials to help the student, and those who will just show up for tuition, do the necessary tutoring, and leave.

2. Ability to communicate
The ability to communicate allows a tutor to understand the needs of the student. Tutors who are able to communicate with their students find it easier to understand the difficulties faced by their students, and work something out which will best be able to help them.

Communication does not just stop between the student and tutor. Parents play an important part in this too. Tutors who are able to communicate with parents will be able to highlight the strength and weaknesses of the child and involve the parents in bringing out the child’s potential.

3. Competence in subject
Needless to say, good tutors should have an acceptable level of competence in the subject that they are teaching. Without a certain level of mastery, it would be extremely difficult to impart the correct knowledge and skills set to their students.

However, mastery in a subject alone may not be enough. Knowing the subject is one thing, being able to teach a student how to master it is another. This is the reason why some sports champions do not turn out to be effective coaches. Good tutors must also be able to use teaching methods that are suitable for their students and impart knowledge in the most effective manner.

4. Class management
Class management consists of mainly the ability to create conducive learning environment for the student, as well as the planning and executing of the tuition session. A good environment allows the student to concentrate and learn in a state of mind that is most empowering.

The flow of the tuition session is something that is often overlooked by tutors. A child can only concentrate for a limited amount of time. Trying to cram as much information as possible will only serve to make the tuition redundant. Therefore, the ability to inject peaks and rest time in tuition is part of good class management that good tutors should possess.

In conclusion, the four key elements mentioned are important areas to determine if a tutor has the ability to bring out the best in a student. Of course, these should not be the only determinants of a good tutor, though you can’t go too wrong with them.

The Author is a certified Life Coach and practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) who specialises in Interpersonal Communication Skills, Sales and Customer Service Training.


 
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