Tutors & Tutoring

School holidays are approaching. Before that, students have to do one important task -- EXAMINATION!!

Every year, during this kind of period, most students will feel stress & tense. Not just for students that haven't prepared themselves, but also for those who have prepared themselves well. And also during this kind of period, tutors are the busiest group. They need to prepare test papers, arrange students' schedule, arrange tutors' time slot, arrange transport, etc...

Tutors nowadays aren't easy. They have to undergo lots of transformation before becoming a really well-known tutors. Even if they have become well-known, they need to constantly update & upgrade themselves if they still want to be in this occupation.

Speaking of tutoring, we can see lots of tuition centre mushrooming around. Is opening a tuition centre a hot cake now? Does it really provide high profit or is it only a fashion trend that everyone is following? Even private tutors can be seem everywhere and the prices they stated are even 'scarier'. One cheaper than another.. How to survive?...

Since there are so many centres and tutors around, how does the parents choose for their children? I know most parents will go for the most renowned centre or specified tutor. But how do they get know of them? Through recommendations? Or just having the hope to let their children try? If it's good, then they stay. If it's bad, then they leave. How to determine good or bad?

Sometimes, I find the way parents determine bad or good is quite unfair to the tutors. Some students are intelligent in nature, they catch-up things fast and they perform well. This is good.

However, some students are slow in learning and need more time. In this case, parents will usually give out an 'edict' and say the tutor or the centre aren't good.

Of course, I do admit that the teaching method that the tutor uses is very important also. But I think parents should give tutors the chance and time to get know well with their children and thus, proving themselves. At least, give them a year time. Having only a month or 3 months or half year won't be good enough if the child's base itself is really poor.

Parents should learn to appreciate every effort that the tutor has invested in their children. Even if their children show just a bit of improvement, a little bit of praise is enough to the children to regain confidence and act as an encouragement to proceed to the next stage and try to perform well in everything they do. Every child is unique in it's own & parents should learn to accept it. If parents can educate their own children, will they send them to others who do not understand their children?

On the other hands, children/students should learn to be grateful as well. If they think being a tutor is an easy job and take everything for granted, they are wrong. Educating own child is a difficult task, moreover educating others' children.

Of course, I know they are some black sheep among tutors but bear in mind that not every tutor is the same.

Use your heart to feel and use your mind to think...