You’ve heard of the famous book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Today, let us share with you 7 values your child will receive from having a good private tutor.
Researchers have revealed “that the anxiety levels of Singaporean students were significantly higher than the global average. In other countries polled, 66% of students expressed worry over getting poor grades in school” (Davie, 2017).
Living in a rapidly developing and competitive society like Singapore, one's educational background, academic grades, and certifications have become the main factors that open doors to opportunities to start a meaningful and lucrative career, survive in the long run and earn a comfortable living this fast-paced country.
Singaporean students are paying a heavy price in mental health for Singapore’s success in global education rankings, with a rising number of students seeking psychiatric help as they struggle to cope with the relentless pressure for academic excellence.
Children are reporting symptoms of anxiety and stress related to school as early as primary school, experts warn, and there have been extreme cases where pupils have been driven to suicide (Davie, 2017).
What can parents do for their children?
Here are 7 values that a suitable private tutor “The Guru(s)” provides, which can make a huge difference:
1. Staying Competitive (Be Proactive)
With the help of a private tutor, children can prepare for important examinations and assessments proactively, staying ahead of the school’s syllabus. This will allow them to cope better with pressures from deadlines and learn better in school. In addition, a well-prepared student will suffer less anxiety and become more confident.
Private tuition can provide a less stressful learning environment without distractions where students can learn at their own pace. In the privacy and comfort of their homes, they are more likely to ask questions without the fear of being shy, nervous or feel pressured to appear intelligent in front of peers.
The Chinese word for knowledge 学问 (XuéWèn) when broken down to two can be said, 要学，就要问 meaning “to learn, one must ask”. At MindWorks, we believe students can learn more efficiently through questions and answers.
Practice makes perfect. Students who are doing well or with exceptional talent in a specific area of learning can get a feel of subjects beforehand from experienced private tutors, helping them make better choices for course selections.
A good tutor may further stimulate the child’s potential by showing agility and adapting the learning to suit a child’s abilities and interests. A Chinese proverb says 学以致用 – Xué Yǐ Zhì Yòng – put into practice what has been learned. So learn ahead, and it will come in handy like martial arts.
2. To Be An Expert, Learn From The Expert (Begin with the End in Mind)
There is always multiple ways and paths to reach a destination. The same thing applies to study methods and techniques. One technique taught may not be suitable or easily understood by all students. It’s always good to have someone to show the light with a more personalised approach.
The wisdom from ancient Chinese proverbs 十年树木，百年树人 (Shí Nián Shù Mù, Bǎi Nián Shù Rén), say it takes ten years for a tree to grow, but it takes a hundred years for talents to be nurtured. Experienced tutors are guru(s) with flexible teaching techniques to suit students with different characters, capabilities and talent. Private tutors are teachers who know beyond the school syllabus. They are the ones who have taught students from multiple backgrounds, academic levels, and different schools. They are the ones with greater exposure and a wider range of experience to guide their students.
玉不琢，不成器 (Yù bù zuó, bùchéngqì) - A jade requires polishing to turn into a gem.
An experienced private tutor with wide exposure knows how to prepare and guide students to bring out the best in them. Do not set boundaries for your child. Instead, look beyond the student’s academic studies, let the expert tutor nurture their potential with the knowledge beyond their academic level.
3. Maximize Focus For Better Results
天生我才必有用 (TiānShēng Wǒ Cái Bì Yǒu Yòng) - All things in their being are good for something. Everyone is born talented in their own way. Every individual is unique.
So what is causing some students to struggle, lagging behind or losing interest?
Let us break the possibilities into 5 categories:
There are more than 35 factors students are not doing well in their studies that many are not aware of. Help is needed to solve their problems, guidance and assistance to plan and prioritise and to build a strong foundation. Put first things first, solving the issues from the root for better growth is essential. This is where an experienced tutor, “The Guru”, plays an important role in making a huge difference.
Many specific problems can be addressed and solved privately that cannot be done in a class setting. For example, if school is a jungle of academic knowledge, a private tutor is a botanist who cares and shapes the plant of knowledge and wisdom, focusing on the areas that are causing problems for your child.
A private tutor works on a one on one basis with your child, giving him/her personal attention at all times with maximum focus for both the Guru and apprentice. Private sessions like this may be short, but they are intense and more effective than a class setting.
What does a private tutor do?
They keep your child focused on the task at hand.
They help in areas of weakness so that a struggling pupil can gain confidence in difficult subjects.
They help fill in the gaps and prepare your struggling child for exams or tests on a particular subject.
Time is money, and time is limited. Efficiency is the key. Students with a private tutor can learn more in a given amount of time.
A tutor will ensure they have the fundamental skills they need before proceeding to the next lesson. Children struggling with basic skills will benefit from it, absorbing the fundamental concept of their studies.
为时不晚 (Wéi Shí Bù Wǎn) – it is not too late to learn.
4. Positive Relationship, Mind Frequency and Synchronise Rhythm
The human-human relationship is a very vast subject, and it isn't easy to comprehend the concept of chemistry. However, in human psychology, individuals with the same interest, goal and mind frequency will work better together by establishing a positive relationship.
A top teacher from a top school may not be the best teacher suitable for your child. We can probably remember a co-worker, a neighbour, or a teacher that we didn't seem to click with. Unfortunately, in school, students don’t get to choose which teacher he/she clicks with to learn from effectively.
With a private tutor, students have the opportunity to find the right one that suits them best. Student-Tutor with a positive relationship builds better interest, motivations, and better engagement. The hassle of getting the correct tutors can be done through the help of an experienced tuition agency.
If you're looking for a tutor for your child, let us help you!
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5. Ensure They Nail the Basics
Different types of subjects such as Languages, Science, Mathematics, Arts and Music requires a different kind of technique and skills to learn effectively. Our human brain is a miracle, and it doesn’t work the same for everyone. For instance, some may be better at arts, others with sciences; some are talented in graphical memory, while others in numbers. Left-brainers and right-brainers don’t learn the same.
Children lose interest, feel demotivated and helpless, lose confidence and even have poor self-esteem when they fail to understand or learn the fundamentals of a subject.
In schools, generally, many subjects are designed and presented differently and have various hierarchical elements. Maths, for example, is a struggle with number bonds or basic processes, such as addition, multiplication and other complex problems that may be almost impossible for some students to disgust.
Specialised private tutors help sort out some of these basics issues, clearly illustrate concepts, and provide a clearer picture to tackle the problems.
Skill-based learning is easier to absorb and understand when with a person who has the knowledge and is ready to answer any questions. Each skill can be learnt, checked for understanding, and then applied with practical explanations and demonstrations. Repetition helps the student grasp the concept. Practice makes perfect with the help of private tutors.
6. Gaining Confidence With External Help
Peer pressure, shyness, and lack of confidence may be some examples of the many reasons some kids do not stick their hands up to admit they do not understand something or to ask questions. It's tough for some kids with the fear of being labelled as being silly or incompetent, especially in front of their mates.
However, your child can be honest with a private tutor about what he/she does or does not understand and voice out any difficulties they might experience without the need to impress his/her friends.
If a child struggles with any aspect of learning at school, the chances are that before long, they will stop enjoying lessons, lose interest and may resist going to school altogether. Having a private tutor that iron out a few difficulties will almost certainly increase their confidence and learning progress.
7. Take Control, Help Them Develop a Positive View of Their Learning
Lack of persistence and perseverance, absence of motivation, poor self-esteem, and loss of confidence or interest are common for some student when they struggle with something at school. Sadly students can start to believe that they can't learn or that something is wrong with them, when in fact, they just need a bit more time or explanation.
Having a good private tutor can prevent this, and while it is an investment, it is one that is very worthwhile. External help from the tutors can develop a positive mindset in the children, cultivating a better learning attitude, increasing their self-esteem.
A private tutor is an educator that helps with encouraging children to develop thinking skills and ultimately grow in the different learning areas they need to build up and develop according to their level of ability.
This personalised professional service of a good private tutor helps parents understand their child’s progress better with valuable feedback from tutors. The flexibility of private tutors also enables students to manage and cope with their studies without missing lessons in the event of important life occasions.
Remember, 学无止境 (Xué Wú Zhǐ Jìng) - Learning is a never-ending process.
8. Bonus: It Is Affordable, Flexible and Safe!
For some parents from various backgrounds, hiring a tutor is a more economical option to get private or specialised tutoring compared to the expense of private schooling. The cost of tuition varies according to the level of study and the location.
Parents have the flexibility and option to hire tutors for a term and see how their children develop. If they continue to have problems, parents can always change or reinstate them. There’s no best or permanent solution as each student is different. The best tutor may be good and highly recommended for a student but may not be the perfect match for the other. If you see your child is struggling, hiring a tutor is the best way to support them.
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In times of illness or the current situation of a pandemic, a private tutor can fill the role of a teacher in the safety of your home with the flexibility to switch between online and face-to-face lessons.
Click here to read why you should choose online private tuition for your child now!
Socrates has said, “I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think.”
By hiring a private tutor, you can give your child the opportunity to learn under such a mentor.