​Does my child need a tutor?

There are many reasons why you might consider tutoring for your child.  The most common one being that you are concerned that your child is not meeting the expected standard for their grade.  This could be due to many reasons, but rather than feeling helpless and overwhelmed, considering a tutor could be a way to get your child back on track.  The fact that there are so many different tutoring companies out there, is proof that more and more parents are taking the plunge and enrolling their child in after school tutoring.  It shouldn’t be seen as something “bad”, but rather as a positive.

When looking for a tutor, there are a few important points to consider:

• Do you feel comfortable with the tutor or tutors?
• Does your child feel comfortable with the tutor or tutors?
• Do they have experience tutoring?
• Do they follow the Australian Curriculum?
• Will you receive regular feedback?

I’m sure you have many more questions, but the above would be some important ones to consider.

Not every tutoring option suits all children.  Some kids will do better if you get a tutor to come to your house, and other children prefer to be surrounded by other kids submerged in an atmosphere of learning and fun!  Whichever one you choose, if you are confident that your child is benefitting from it, you have made the right decision.

Tutoring isn’t just for those who are behind, but it could also benefit children who need to be challenged.  When your child is achieving high grades, they might be slightly bored in class.  This can sometimes lead to less interest which in turn could lead to your child missing out on some important information in class.  Tutoring could help by challenging your child, keeping them engaged in the subject and making sure they are staying on top of the necessary concepts.

So, if you are considering a tutor, take the plunge and call.  Don’t just call one, call a few and go by your gut feel.  If you get a good feeling over the phone, set up an appointment to meet them, and once you meet them you will usually know if they’ll be the right tutor for your child. 

Why is TERM 1 important?

Not having children myself, I can only imagine how busy, crazy and overwhelming the first term of the year must be for parents, as well as children.  I can understand that adding just another appointment to the list of things to do, is enough to make you want to curl up in a corner and cry!  I know I would!  I’m exhausted just listening to some of the parent’s (and children’s) schedules.  How do you all do it?  With lots of chocolate, and perhaps some wine too, I hope!  So, it’s not surprising that giving tutoring a break in term 1 is a common decision among parents.

But, (yes, there is unfortunately a “but”), unless your child finished term 4 on a high, with heaps of confidence going into the next year, you might want to think twice about giving tutoring a break in term 1.  Starting the year off on a high, and getting back into the swing of things sooner rather than later, can pave the way for the rest of the year.  It’s always harder playing catch up than keeping the momentum going from the start of the year.

Remember that most children have had a six week break from school, and some as much as 8 or 9 weeks!  They’ve lost their “sense” of learning, and need a bit of a kick start into gear for the new year.   Most of them will have a new teacher, some will go to a new school and some will be going to high school.  All of which can make the settling into the new school year just a little bit daunting.  Continuing with tutoring means a familiar face or faces, as well as a continuation of something they know and have hopefully grown to enjoy!