Team Parent or Team Tutor?

                Beginning of classes is around the corner and so is the argument about whether parents should hire a tutor or take charge of teaching their child.

Over the years, the issue about hiring a tutor rotates around these questions:

• Should parents tutor their kids or hire a private tutor instead?
• Who should be tracking their child’s academic progress?
• Do smart kids need tutoring?
• Is tutoring only necessary if you’re getting an ‘F’ grade?
• Would my reputation be at stake if someone knew I have a tutor?

                In the early generations, tutors were hired for students who were having difficulty in coping with school tasks. True! I never knew of any classmate being tutored back in grade school or high school—that was 15 years ago. But nowadays, it has already become a trend in the educational and parenting system even if it entails additional cost. Expenses for hiring a tutor is almost equivalent to half, if not whole, of a child’s tuition fee in a private school. However, there still are many parents who have been independently managing well their academic years. Kudos to them! Some eventually get lured to hiring a tutor for many reasons. Even parents of performing students are tempted to hire tutors for their kids. The question now is, what really is the role of a tutor and when should parents hire a tutor?

                From a teacher’s view, tutors share some responsibilities with which parents can no longer accommodate. That’s it! Tutors share the duty of teaching children in a structured yet calm approach. No pressure from parent’s demands and school teacher’s perception. But take note that tutors are not merely saviors or a life vest in a pool of expectation. Tutors help students learn the know-how of study habit. So that in the long run, children can take advantage of getting hold of everything, developing a self-directed and instinctive study routine, learning the material independently, and getting better results. So when should parents hire a tutor? Here are some things that are certain about students and can be used as a measure.

· There are less responsible students who have difficulty accomplishing tasks or even organizing things on their own.

· There are students who need help in getting a handle on everything – academics, projects, research, extra-curricular.

·There are performing students who struggle in keeping up or maintaining their grades as they progress to the next year level.

·There are students who need to strive in a specific area, otherwise it will cripple his whole academic performance.

·There are naturally smart but sluggish kids who need a little more constant drive to study.

·There are students with no study habit but may perform well when guided accordingly.

       When getting a tutor, hopefully, it is mainly because of any of the student factors presented above rather than of a parent’s inadequacies. Parent factors can always be addressed. We should know that even in the presence of our shortcomings such as imposing authority, lack of time, and being less knowledgeable, we can always be 100% involved and hands-on to our children’s academic years. There is always a way. How?

·      Just by merely assisting your children accomplish their homework is already a gesture of supporting your child.

·           Giving your child a form of review (oral or written) during examinations is the best act of teaching.

·           Making worksheets for your children is a great act of teaching.

·           Helping your child come up with a study time is also an act of tutoring.

·           Asking for or reminding them of projects and other school requirements is also one way.

·           Helping them keep their bags clean and organized is another.

          Easy right? But when parents decide to hire a tutor, daily supplement from them is also essential— an ideal set-up to make tutoring effective. For time-constraint parents who can’t constantly follow-up their children’s educational flight, make time to converse with your child’s tutor and be updated of his progress. Make this your routine and not only if there is left of your time. Work with your child’s tutor as you do perform in your career. 

               

                In the end, it boils down to collaboration. Just a solid reminder, do not leave it all up to the tutor since they may also have inevitable shortcomings. For instance, getting sick is beyond control but it does have no place when you are a one proactive tutor.  However, when you work with hands-on parents, it makes tutoring more efficient and the process doesn't easily get off track even at a tutor’s absence. The student can always take the lead especially when guided by the parent. Now if you have the means, it is best to get a tutor and collaborate. It is indeed a wise use of money.

                And when the child's grades went below expectation, who should be blamed? The tutor or the parent? But when your precious child performs better or even best in school, whom will the credit be given to? The tutor or the parent? Take accountability. Take pride.

With You Every Step of the Way,

Teacher Belle

Credits to the photo owner.